Rasbert Turner, Gleaner Writer

SPANISH TOWN, St. Catherine:

An Inspector of Police left the Spanish Town Resident Magistrate's Court in amazement on Monday when he 'adjourned' the sitting after getting into a verbal spat with the judge, who was left bewildered on the bench.

Yesterday, Harry Daley, superintendent in charge of St. Catherine North, apologised to the court for the inspector's behaviour and assured the judge that the matter would be dealt with.

It all started about midday Monday when Constable Wendy Brookes was presenting a case to the court. Resident Magistrate Sharon George instructed the constable to produce more statements on the matter and the frustrated policewoman said she had seen exactly what had transpired in the case and did not think it necessary to get any further statements.

Making a face

The spat developed between the resident magistrate and the policewoman when the judge asked Constable Brookes if she was "making a face" at her.

"No, I'm not," the constable countered, to which the judge asked what was therefore the problem.

"I don't have a problem," the policewoman replied.

Seeming to get a little hot under the collar, the judge then ordered that the constable be taken to the holding area for contempt of court.

But the matter did not end there as, some time later, the judge summoned the policewoman to return to the courtroom.

"You were very rude," she told Constable Brookes, while warning the policewoman to never behave that way in a courtroom again.

Following procedure, the woman constable's superior, Inspector Patrick Murdock, head of traffic in St. Catherine North, was summoned to face the court.

Good reputation

Inspector Murdock made it clear to the judge that he found it hard to believe that the woman constable had done anything wrong, given what he said was her good reputation.

The judge then asked him if he saw the constable roll her eyes and Inspector Murdock admitted he did but suggested that "perhaps it has something to do with her religious beliefs."

This further angered the judge who gave the inspector a tongue-lashing of no mean order.

"You are damn rude!" she said.

"You're damning me?" Inspector Murdock retorted. "This court now stands adjourned!"

Demanding the inspector's name, the judge ordered that he be held in contempt of court. He, however, had already walked out and was long gone.