A man who is accused of biting off a piece of a policeman's lower lip and punching a conductor in his face was sentenced to two years' imprisonment at hard labour in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court on Friday.

He is Carlton Shepherd who was charged with two counts assault occasioning bodily harm, assaulting police and resisting arrest.

Allegations are that on August 2 about 9:15 p.m., Shepherd and a conductor got into an heated argument when he punched the conductor in his face causing him to lose a tooth and threatening him not to report the incident.

According to the complainant, the accused said "if mi get lock up, remember seh you can't work nuh more bus."

It is alleged that on November 21, about 9 p.m., when the police went to arrest Shepherd and while escorting him to the Half-Way Tree Police Station, the accused punched a policeman on the left side of his face and and bit off a piece of his lower lip.

on his knees

It is alleged that when the 51-year-old officer approached Shepherd and told him to accompany him to the police station, he told the officer that he is not going anywhere; however, the accused said "we can talk".

It is alleged that when the policeman told him they could talk at the police station, he went down on his knees and started begging the officer not to take him to the station. It is further alleged that during the process of escorting shepherd, he told the policeman that he wanted to urinate. It is alleged that the accused started screaming and began hitting the officer all over his body before biting him on his lip. The arresting officer who allegedly fell to the ground was further hit several times.

The court heard that a passing police radio car was just in time to offer assistance, taking the injured cop to the Kingston Public Hospital where he was treated and released.

The accused was arrested and charged.