Teen charged, rebuked for allegedly beating cops

An 18-year-old scooter rider from McNamara on Tortola, Mervin Flaherty Jr, has been charged in relation to an incident on Waterfront Drive last Friday that resulted in two traffic cops being injured.

The officers were treated and released from Peebles Hospital, and are now at home recuperating.

Commissioner of Police Michael Matthews said he has given instructions for the full force of the law to be exacted on anyone who attacks his officers.

He also condemned the latest assault.

“Violent acts against any of my officers are never acceptable. However, I am particularly disturbed by the level of this assault on Friday on my Road Policing officers, who were simply carrying their duties to keep road users and riders safe. I have given instructions for the full force of the law to be exacted on anyone who decides to attack any officer while he or she is carrying out duties,” the commissioner said.

The alleged offender, Flaherty, has been charged with two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, two counts of criminal damage, disorderly conduct, and resisting arrest.

He will also face several traffic related offences, said the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force.

BVI News Online has seen an amateur video of the fight, but it does not show how the altercation started.

However, two police officers (male and female) are shown struggling to restrain the alleged offender who – at times – was on the ground kicking and wrestling to escape the police officers’ grasp.

The fight continued when he managed to get back on his feet.

The male police officer later beckoned at a passer-by who was in plain clothes: “Come here fireman.”

The ‘fireman’ then assisted the police in restraining the alleged offender. “Ah ma boi mehn; a ma boi,” the ‘fireman’ said as he took control of the scene.

The offender, who could be heard telling the ‘fireman’ that he was kicked in the head during the fight, was eventually taken into police custody. The video contains expletive.

BVI News Online understands that the police officers sustained various injuries to the faces.

In recent times, a number of videos have been surfacing with scenes of civilians physically and verbally abusing members of the police force who – at times – are also accused of using excessive force.