The defendant, centre, grabs the police officer, right, while he is being arrested.
(SNO) — A man in a viral video who is seen cursing with police just before being arrested, has been formally charged, according to reliable sources.
Reports are that the man appeared in court today, Monday, Oct. 8, 2018 for charges relating to the incident that occurred over the weekend in Dennery, in which he is accused of insulting and assaulting a police officer and resisting arrest. He was reportedly remanded by the magistrate.
According to the laws of St. Lucia, particularly Sections 508, 532, 533, 534 of the Criminal Code, it’s an offence to insult anyone in public or in any place.
The offences, if convicted, carry a fine of a $1,000.
A law enforcement official told St. Lucia News Online that it’s an offence to spew profane or obscene language and insulting words to the police or anyone in public or in any place. It is also an offence to spew insults in public likely to provoke an assault, as well as insulting gestures, the official added.
“It isn’t just police you can’t insult. In fact, a lot of matters reported to the police are for insulting words,” the official said.
In the Dennery incident that was captured on amateur video and posted on Facebook, a police officer was reportedly attempting to deal with some illegality surrounding a motorbike when the man, who was arrested along, with a few others, started to curse him.
The defendant continued to curse the officer even as the lawman walked back to the police vehicle. The cop eventually returned with at least two other officers, who brandished handguns.
In the video, one of the officers informed the man that he is being arrested for insulting the police officer. A struggle then ensued between the defendant and the three officers who eventually managed to handcuff him and put him in the police vehicle. During this time, a number of men are seen and overheard cursing the officers. They say the man who is being arrested has done nothing wrong.
But that did not deter the officers from carrying out their job.
Another law enforcement source told St. Lucia News Online that while the officer was carrying out his investigation the man who was eventually arrested, was “obstructing and inciting”.
“So he got his day in the cell,” the source said.
Below is the video (pleased be advised that the video contains expletives and may be disturbing to some
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