Police testify accused pulled gun during Silver Hill arrest

Two policemen have told the Supreme Court that Clarence Rudolph Watkins allegedly pulled a firearm while being subdued, after officers blocked his motorcycle along a road in Silver Hill, Christ Church.

Watkins, of Chapman Lane, St Michael, is on trial in Supreme Court No. 5A, accused of having a .10 mm semi-automatic pistol without a valid licence and 16 rounds of ammunition without a valid permit on May 15, 2021.

Reading an extract from the station diary from that date, acting Station Sergeant Andrew Pilgrim said that around 11:55 a.m., the operation team recovered a black Glock 40 pistol and 16 rounds of ammunition while at Green Hill Drive, Silver Hill, Christ Church.

He and other officers were on patrol in two vehicles heading east along that road when a motorcycle was seen approaching and the officers recognised that it was being ridden by Watkins, the officer said.

Communication was passed between the two teams, and the drivers “boxed in” the motorcycle and blocked the road, he added.

The station sergeant read: “The rider tried to escape by mounting the sidewalk on his left but it cut out. Constable Subhan and Constable Mayers ran and held Mr Watkins who began struggling violently. The other police officers on the operation came to their assistance and wrestled him to the ground, forcing him facedown. Mr Watkins was seen reaching into his waist at the front of his pants and pulled out a black Glock pistol.” 

“Constable Browne immediately pulled his taser and administered one dry stun on the upper shoulder of Mr Watkins and the firearm dropped from his hand. He was then handcuffed.” 

“Constable Subhan opened the firearm and found that it contained 16 rounds of ammunition. Mr Watkins admitted not having a licence for the firearm or a permit for the ammunition and was taken to the Oistins Police Station.”

He explained that a ‘dry stun’ was when the cartridge in the taser was removed and the taser was applied directly to the person to “administer a painful shot”.

Station Sergeant Pilgrim stated that no fingerprint analysis or DNA was ordered as “the gun was actually found on the person and there was no need for further inquiry into the possession of the firearm”.

During cross-examination by Senior Counsel Andrew Pilgrim, who leads Watkins’ legal team with attorneys Summer Hassell and Andrea Husbands, the officer said he had not heard the accused say “I didn’t have any gun”.

The diary did not contain which officers had tasers that day as that information was recorded in a register, the station sergeant said.

He agreed that if Watkins was tasered in the presence of officers, they were required to mention this in their statements and admitted that they had not gone to the area to look for the accused.

Police Constable Jabari Mayers said that when he and other officers attempted to subdue the accused, he was struggling violently as they placed him on his stomach on the ground.

“I then observed the accused reaching to the front part of his pants and I saw a black firearm. Constable Subhan would have held on to the accused’s hand and the other police officers and I were able to get the firearm away from the accused,” he said, adding that the magazine attached to the firearm contained five rounds of 10 mm ammunition and 11 rounds of .40 calibre ammunition.

Principal State Counsel Romario Straker and State Counsel Rommell Sandiford are prosecuting the trial while Justice Christopher Birch presides.

(JB)