Sandy Bay man claims he was beaten by police

A fracas between a 35-year-old man and three police officers has left him nursing two black eyes.{{more}}

When he visited SEARHCLIGHT on Wednesday, Brandson Sutherland’s face was in a poor state. According to Sutherland, he was beaten by police officers on Saturday night, while out with his girlfriend in Sandy Bay.

The Sandy Bay resident explained that he was having an argument with his girlfriend, which turned physical and the two of them were on the floor tussling. He further stated that someone, whom he later realized was a police officer, grabbed him from behind and when he tried to get up, the man tumbled over his head.

“She start to carry on…I try hold on pan she.

“Time she push me, I lash she and the two ah we fell ah ground,” Sutherland said. “I don’t know who come behind my back. I try get up. I was also kind of tipsy. I get up, I feel the weight grabble me; next thing the person go over me head. Time he go over me head, right there I start to get the licks and them.”

Sutherland told SEARCHLIGHT that the police officers began to hit him in his face and in the process, he was knocked out.

Additionally, he stated that he was taken to the Georgetown Police Station, where he was charged with assaulting an officer.

His mother, Catherine Sutherland, does not feel good about the way her second child was treated.

According to Catherine, this was the first time her son has ever gotten into trouble with police.

“I feel bad. I know he don’t trouble nobody, if you don’t talk to him, he don’t talk to you. It’s the first time he get in something like this,” she told SEARCHLIGHT.

The mother, who said she spoke with the Commissioner of Police and made a complaint to the Public Relations Department, indicated that she will be taking legal action.

“I went with him (Sutherland) to Dr Rowe yesterday, because they did not give him a paper to go to the doctor. I went to Public Relations there, so they now give me this to carry back to the doctor. We got a lawyer as well, so I got a copy to carry back to the lawyer,” she said.

“Instead of the police them try to [lessen] violence, it come like they building up violence. Instead of you protect people, they building violence, because if you come from behind him – he (police officer) the one supposed to come to the front and say he is a police officer, ask what’s going on; but he never do nothing. He didn’t show an ID card and he was in his own clothes.”

A call to the Public Relations Department confirmed that a report was made and they are currently investigating the matter.