A 57-year-old craftsman who bit a police officer on the wrist during his arrest has been ordered to pay the officer $1 000 in compensation after pleading guilty to assault and cocaine charges.
Christopher O’Brian Best, of Pilgrim Road, Christ Church, appeared before Magistrate Shakieda Sealy in the No. 1 District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court.
He admitted assaulting PC Joshua Kishna in the execution of his duties, and possessing, trafficking and possessing with intent to supply 4.6 grammes of cocaine on Saturday. The cocaine had an estimated street value of $213
Sergeant Victoria Leacock told the court that police were conducting an exercise at Dover, Christ Church, around 3 p.m. when they saw Best start running. Officers pursued and apprehended him. He struggled violently during a search, which revealed cocaine in his trouser pocket.
Best was initially held by a female officer. As he struggled to escape, PC Kishna went to assist, and Best bit him on the wrist.
Addressing the court, Best said that he had only cannabis on him and that the cocaine happened to be “very, very close to where I was sitting, so I decide to plead guilty”.
“I already had on the handcuffs, I was trying to eat the 10 bag I had from him, but the officer was trying to get he hand in my mouth, and that was how he get bite,” Best said, declaring that he was not going to waste the court’s time and asked for leniency.
Noting that he had “quite a conviction card” with 49 previous convictions, Magistrate Sealy acknowledged that he had kept himself out of trouble since 2015.
She ordered him to pay $1 000 in compensation to the officer or serve one month in prison.
Best was also placed on a six-month bond to keep the peace for possession of the illegal drug and reprimanded and discharged on the other offences.
(JB)
