Hospitalised Cane Grove man accuses cop of assault

Police have launched an internal investigation into the claim that one of its ranks assaulted a Cane Grove, East Coast Demerara man, who has since been hospitalised at the Georgetown Public Hospital.

According to police, the Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) has launched an investigation into the allegation, which follows an attempt to arrest Michael Clarke on Sunday night.

In a press release, police said that around 20:00 hrs on Sunday, security guard Nicole Bobb, of Virginia Village, Cane Grove, East Coast Demerara, informed the police at the Cane Grove Police Station by telephone that a man was in the GT&T Compound at Cane Grove behaving in a disorderly manner and threatening her.

The release said that a male police constable responded to the report and on arrival saw the man, who appeared to be under the influence of alcohol, behaving in a disorderly manner and using indecent language.

According to the release, the policeman spoke to the man, who came out of the compound. However, the man continued to behave in the same manner on the roadway.

He was later identified as Clarke, with whom Bobb has children.

“The rank attempted to arrest Clarke who resisted being arrested and subsequently pulled away from the policeman, falling to the ground and hitting his head on the roadway in the process. The policeman also sustained an injury to his left hand and did not proceed with the arrest,” the release said.

According to the police, they were informed on Monday that Clarke had been admitted to hospital and that he was alleging that the police rank had assaulted him, thereby resulting in the OPR investigation.