Ivan Gouveia, who appeared today April 20, 2015 in the Magistrate’s Court in an ongoing trial for alleged theft, accused a police officer of punishing him for disorderly conduct by placing a pair of handcuffs on him tightly and placing him in a cell. Photo: VINO

Speaking before Senior Magistrate Tamia Richards, Gouveia asked for a chance to demonstrate how tightly the pair of handcuffs was placed on him.

He was unrepresented at the time.

Taking the witness stand, Police Officer Terry Humphrey testified that on Friday November 14, 2014 at Crab Lot, known as The Ghetto, after responding to a report against Gouveia, he saw the defendant sitting outside a bar.

According to the Officer, the defendant was approached by himself and other officers who informed him of the report against him.

He was transported to the Road Town Police Station and while on the way there he reportedly cursed out the officers.

"He allegedly said f**k ayo down island muddask**t," the police officer testified.

The officer alleged that the defendant made the statement loudly several times while in the back of a police vehicle.

Humphrey said they placed the defendant in a cell because he was allegedly behaving aggressively and making noise. Once there he started banging on the cell door, the court heard.

The police officer told the court that he did not give the defendant permission to use indecent language nor did he insult him in any way.

Gouveia said, "Your honour I was already subdued in the cell and they put on the handcuffs as a punishment. It was purposely tight."

However, Humphrey denied the handcuffs were meant to punish the defendant. Further he said he wasn't aware the defendant was locked in a cell for three hours with handcuffs on.

The trial continues this afternoon.