State ordered to pay $123,000 for 2006 police abuse of detainee

A judge in Trinidad and Tobago has ordered the state to pay more than $123,000 in damages to a man who was beaten and taunted by policemen while falsely imprisoned at the San Fernando and Marabella Police Stations for five days in 2006. 

At the time police also charged Kevin Ravello with common assault and robbery with violence. Those charges are still pending. 

In ruling in favour of Ravello, Justice James Aboud also ordered the state to pay the damages and $22,300 in legal costs after ruling in Ravello’s favour.

Ravello filed the lawsuit in the San Fernando High Court, stating that on March 15, 2006 police arrested him at his home and took him to the police station where they detained him for five days. 

He claimed that the police kept him in a dirty, urine-soaked cell and did not inform him of his right to an attorney. He also claimed that certain police officers harassed, ridiculed and slapped him and also struck on the head and violently shoved him against the walls of the cell.

He also stated that police called off an an identification parade because he insisted on having his attorney present and a policeman subsequently told him to bribe his way out of the case. In addition he said one policeman told him if he wanted bail and he had to sign three pages of a document. 

Ravello said he signed the pages and was subsequently charged with common assault. He was eventually granted $65,000 bail on two charges: common assault and robbery with violence.