Football game brawl leaves cop bruised

A man who reportedly assaulted a cop during a football match was granted $200,000 bail when he appeared in the St Catherine Parish Court.

Garfield Francis of Windsor Road, Spanish Town, is answering to the charge of assault occasioning bodily harm. When the matter was mentioned, the clerk of court told the court that the complainant was in too much pain to attend. The allegations are that on March 9, the accused and the complainant, who is a constable, were participating in a football game when there was a disagreement as to who should retrieve the ball. This developed into a physical tussle, during which the complainant received several blows. A report was made at the Spanish Town Police Station, which resulted in Francis being arrested and charged.

Attorney-at-law Denise Hinson, who is representing Francis, gave her client's side of the story.

"There was a physical incident on the football field; however, the complainant was the aggressor and my client punched him in the face, but he was acting in self-defence," Hinson said.

Senior Parish Court Judge Desiree Alleyne granted bail with sureties. Francis is to reappear in court on April 19. The Crown did not oppose bail.