Suspended police officer granted leave for judicial review

A suspended inspector has initiated a Supreme Court action aimed at stopping disciplinary proceedings by the police tribunal.

Inspector Christian Leary was suspended and placed on half-pay on August 27, 2019, after he was accused of using unnecessary force against Deja Laing and Aaliyah Laing during a road block on Exuma on August 5, 2019. On Tuesday, Justice Loren Klein granted Leary leave to begin judicial review proceedings into the process.

Attorney Bjorn Ferguson represented Leary at the hearing.

Klein has prohibited the commissioner of police from proceeding with the disciplinary action until the judicial review proceedings are concluded.

In an affidavit seeking judicial review, Leary, 38, alleges that then Acting Commissioner of Police Paul Rolle acted outside of the Police Act when he interdicted him.

Leary said that he was never “brought or taken under the disciplinary procedure set out by the Police Service Commission”.

Leary said, “I am innocent of all the offenses herein and I will defend against them, and I am confident that I will be exonerated of the offenses for which I am charged.”

Leary said the reduction in salary has resulted in “undue hardship and economic loss, including the inability to make payments on my outstanding loan at Bahamas Law Enforcement Credit Union”.

The women allege that Leary punched them in the face and beat them about the body during a traffic stop on August 5, 2019.

Photos of blood streaming down the eye of one of the women went viral on social media following the alleged incident.

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source https://thenassauguardian.com/2020/05/20/suspended-police-officer-granted-leave-for-judicial-review/