Jail for cop

A policeman who was sentenced to six months hard labour for assaulting another police officer lost his appeal yesterday, but got his sentence reduced by one month. 

PC Sydney Orr was charged with assaulting policeman Desmond Julien on August 29, 1998, while travelling in a motorcar. Julien was sitting in the front passenger seat while Orr sat at the back. Orr took out a revolver from his pocket and repeatedly hit Julien on his head with it. Julien ordered the driver to stop the car and Orr attempted to pull Julien out of the vehicle. This happened in close proximity to the West End Police Station, and Julien eventually went to the station, where he worked, and made a report.

The following morning, Orr went to the station to hand over the service revolver that was issued to him He was questioned by Sgt Glen Sylvester why he had not handed over the revolver the same day. His excuse was that he had to go to the Port-of-Spain General Hospital. Orr was later charged by Cpl Stephen Rivas. Orr was represented by attorney Rajmanlal Joseph, while Deputy DPP Roger Gaspard represented the State. The court, led by Justice Roger Hamel-Smith and included Justice Margot Warner, took one month off Orr’s sentence, which represented the time Orr spent in jail awaiting his trial.