Colwyn Henry at the Sparendaam police station
(Photo courtesy of Nigel Hughes)
December 16 ,2020
Two members of the family of the teenagers killed on the West Berbice are in police custody following an altercation last night at the Sparendaam Police Station.
In a statement, the police said that about 8 pm, a Police Sergeant and other ranks who were conducting a roadblock in-front of the Sparendaam Police Station stopped a Silver Grey motor car which was proceeding in an eastern direction on the northern carriageway. Upon checking the vehicle they observed three occupants at the time, two males and a female.
After a preliminary search, the statement said that the driver of the motor vehicle who gave his name as Colwyn Henry, age 24 years of Lot 32 Cotton Tree, WCB was asked to produce his documents for verification as to his identity and ownership of the vehicle but failed to produce his driver’s licence and revenue licence. As a consequence, he was asked to drive his motor car to the left corner in front of Sparendaam Police Station and as such became annoyed and allegedly started to abuse the police with profanities.
He was then warned of his behaviour and to desist from such practice. However, the police said that Colwyn Henry continued to behave in the said manner and was then instructed to proceed into the Enquiries Office to which he refused resulting in one of the ranks attempting to arrest him but he was unsuccessful as Colwyn Henry pushed him away.
The Sergeant in-charge of the road-block then intervened and he was also pushed away, the police said.
Colwyn Henry’s mother Gail Johnson of the said address, who was also an occupant of the said vehicle, rushed between her son and the Police and allegedly started to abuse the police with profanities.
However, the statement said that the Sergeant managed to subdue Colwyn Henry and took him into the Station’s Enquiries Office. During the process, a scuffle ensued between Colwyn Henry and the Ranks, whereby he dealt several cuffs to a constable causing the constable to sustain an injury to his face and about his body. It is alleged that Colwyn Henry also bit the Constable on his left arm.
The mother, the police said held on to Sergeant Williams’ clothing, ripping off his reflector vest and ripping off two buttons in the process.
Following the incident, both Henry and Johnson were placed into custody and subsequently put on $15,000 cash bail. They were afterwards escorted by the police along with the constable and the sergeant to seek medical attention.
A statement was taken from Colwyn Henry in the presence of his Attorney Nigel Hughes, the police added.
In a statement on his Facebook page, Hughes said that while the family was returning home after attending a presentation by Director of the Argentine Team of Forensic Anthropology (EAAF) Dr. Luis Fondebrider they were stopped at Sparendaam police station.
“Colwyn who was driving was unable to produce his driver’s licence because he had forgotten it at home in the rush to get to Brickdam Cathedral. He produced a photograph of his licence which was in the phone which showed that it was valid until April 2021,” the lawyer noted.
A video of the incident released by Journalist Leroy Smith, shows an altercation between Johnson and several police officers within the compound of the Sparendaam police station.
Johnson can be seen screaming at the officers to stop “assaulting my son”.
“Loose my son. Colwyn, Colwyn, Colwyn,” she screams while clinging to her child.
It takes at least four officers to separate the two at which point Johnson starts screaming.
Henry can be heard calling for his mother as the camera briefly pans to police officers dealing him several cuffs about his body.
