Man fined $10,000 for assaulting policewoman

A Corporate Area man who admitted to having a physical confrontation with a policewoman at the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court building was ordered to complete community service and pay a fine of $10,000.

It was shared in the court that on March 23, the defendant, Oshane Mullings, behaved in a loud and boisterous manner at the court and assaulted the corporal. He pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, failing to move on and assaulting police. He explained to Senior Parish Judge Paula Blake-Powell that he attended the court premises on Maxfield Avenue but was informed that his matter was listed at the Family Court on Duke Street in Kingston.

"Your Honour, I went to the office to ask question and I said to the woman that I am aware it was a Family Court matter. The police was there and said 'Tell her to stop entertaining him.' I said to the police, 'Seriously?!' and she said that's she not talking to me. But I told her that she is talking to me because she's in my business. Then she grab me in my pants and tell me to leave the office but I tell her that I'm not leaving until I finish ask my questions," Mullings related.

The policewoman, who is also the complainant in the assault charge, told the judge that Mullings was very disruptive, loud and disrespectful.

"Your Honour, I gave him a lawful order to move and keep on moving and he refused to. He said to me that 'me caah tell him that because him have him rights and him nah move'. So I laid hold of him Your Honour and he flashed my hand off him. He came outside the court's office and I tried to lay hold of him and he flashed my hand again," the cop said.

Before handing down the sentence, the senior jurist consulted with the probation department.

"I am just warning you to behave yourself in the future and have respect for the police. This is just a slap on the wrist and a warning," Blake-Powell said, before admonishing and discharging Mullings on the charge of failing to move on. For the charges of resisting arrest and disorderly conduct, the judge imposed a sentence of 80 hours community service. The sentence is to run concurrently. Mullings was ordered to pay a $10,000 fine or 10 days' imprisonment for assaulting police.