Soldier charged with assaulting WPC

AN ARMY corporal, who was hauled before a San Fernando magistrate yesterday to answer a charge of assaulting a police officer and using obscene language, was granted $10,000 bail with a surety and told to reappear in court on September 8. Cpl John Orr, 42, a soldier with 22 years service who lives in Belmont, appeared before Second Court Magistrate Sonia Aleong charged with using obscene language and assaulting WPC Persad of the St Margaret’s Police Station. Orr was not called on to plead for the assault charge as this was laid indictably. According to the charges, officers from St Margaret’s Police Station were conducting an exercise near the Flower Pot Beach in Claxton Bay on Thursday.

It is alleged Cpl Orr used obscene language and assaulted WPC Persad at the beach. Police sources told Newsday a party of officers were on patrol in Claxton Bay when they came across members of the TT Regiment who were changing after having taken a sea-bath. The soldier’s army kits and loaded Galil assault rifles were on the ground near to the area where they were changing. According to police sources, there was an altercation between one of the soldiers and a policewoman resulting in threats and cursing. A report on the incident has since been made to senior army officials at Camp Ogden.