Ryan Clemenson, 22, formerly of Albouystown, who appeared before acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson, denied that on May 18 at the Magistrate’s Court he unlawfully assaulted Constable Lewis who was executing her duties.
Clemenson said that on the day in question, he was attending court on the murder charge, when his girlfriend took a hamper for him. He said he asked Inspector Fordyce if he could collect it and was granted permission.
However, Clemenson said, when he was about to do so, he was then told by Fordyce that he would have to collect it at the prison. A bit angry about the decision change, he said, he told the inspector, “Like you need it more than me” and that he should keep it.
Constable Lewis who was standing nearby told him that he could not speak to the officer like that. He alleged that Lewis then slapped him twice. He said he held her hand to prevent her from hitting him again. He said at the time he was handcuffed.
He said he then asked to give a statement since according to him “he was assaulted by the police officer.” He was reportedly told by the officers around that he would have to make a statement at the prison. However once there, a prison officer told him that “whatever happens at the court stays at the court.”
He said all he did was hold Lewis’s hand.
However, Lewis told the court that she was in the vicinity of the lock-ups when she heard noise coming from there. She said that as the prisoners were being led to the van she realised that it was Clemenson who was making the noise since he was “rowing”.
She said that Clemenson stopped in front of Fordyce and began to point his fingers in the inspector’s face. She said her role was to try to get him to go down the stairs and into the van. She said that Clemenson was going down the stairs when he suddenly turned around and cuffed her. She said she walked away.
The matter next comes up on June 17 in Court 2.
