Presidential escort cop loses permit

This was made clear yesterday when the court agreed with Magistrate Andrew Stroud’s decision to disqualify PC Andre Julien from holding or obtaining a driver’s permit (DP) for six months because of an accident he caused while on Presidential escort duty. Julien was also fined $500. He appeal the disqualification, hoping to persuade the Appeal Court to lift the ban or reduce the length of the ban.

His appeal came up before Justices Ivor Archie and Allan Mendonca yesterday. He was represented by attorney Yaseen Ahmed, while senior prosecutor Wayne Rajbansie represented the State. Ahmed told the court that he had only been recently retained and that Julien had pleaded guilty to the charge of failing to drive without due care and attention in the Magistrates’ Court on October 29, 2004.

According to the evidence, Julien was driving a police car as part of the President escort on January 9, 2003, when he broke a red traffic light at the Mt Lambert intersection causing a collision with another vehicle, resulting in extensive damage to both vehicles. He was subsequently charged by Cpl Trevor David.

In spite of Ahmed’s plea and explanation that the policeman is trained to follow certain procedure on escort, the court warned that all agency personnel on escort duties must approach traffic lights with a great deal of caution, especially when faced with a red traffic light. The court also pointed out that if Julien had been trained in this field, then he ought to have kept a sharper look out for other vehicles when entering the intersection. The court refused to vary the magistrate’s order and affirmed the conviction and sentence. Only on Monday, the Court of Appeal had also refused to vary the disqualification sentence of a businessman’s who had run a red light.