Adriel Richardson was fined for indecent language and failing to stop at the sound of a siren when he appeared before the Magistrate's Court on April 19, 2013. Photo: VINO

Adriel Richardson pleaded guilty to the offences and was given an opportunity to offer mitigation before sentencing in his case. It was at this point that the defendant rose to complain that the arresting officer in his matter had been continually harassing him.

“This is the third time that officer harassed me,” the accused alleged.

Richardson detailed two of the alleged instances before stating that the officer pulled him over after witnessing him speaking on his mobile phone without the use of a hands free device.

He alleged that it was not true that he failed to stop but rather a case of victimisation more than anything else.

Senior Magistrate Tamia Richards asked the accused, “Why should you be exempt (from the law)?” The accused asked why he was simply not ticketed for the offence.

Magistrate Richards then told the defendant that he wanted to do whatever he wanted whenever he wanted to and then suggest that officers were harassing him.

“If you walk the straight and narrow, they would leave you alone. They don’t harass me,” Magistrate Richards said.

The defendant also allegedly called the officer a faggot after his arrest and suggested another female officer was ugly. He denied that he had also used indecent language against an officer but admitted to the other two instances of name calling.

“What gives you the right to call the officer a faggot or say that the other officer is ugly?” Magistrate Richards asked.

She suggested the defendant did not want to bear any responsibility for his actions but he denied this and said he pleaded guilty to the offences.

He felt that his treatment was unfair and said he had no need to be in the Magistrate’s court.

“I hope whatever I give you would encourage you not to come back,” the Magistrate told the defendant.

Richards was then fined a total of $1000 for the offences which were to be paid on the same day in default of which he would face 30 days of imprisonment. The offences carried a fine of $500 each or an alternative of 6 months in prison.