A policeman who used a baton to hit a man in the right side of the face, resulting in the removal of an eye during surgery, is to be sentenced tomorrow.

Special Corporal Leonard Nelson was convicted yesterday in the Home Circuit Court for inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent.

A jury retired for more than an hour before returning the verdict.

Evidence was given at the trial that on August 27, 2005, Nelson inflicted the injury on 35-year-old taxi operator Kevin Dower, of Greater Portmore, St Catherine. Dower was taken to the Kingston Public Hospital where the right eye was removed during surgery.

Dower told acting Justice Martin Gayle and the jury that, on the day of the incident, he and two other men went to the Norman Manley International Airport to pick up two children who were coming from abroad.

Flight delayed

The flight was delayed for several hours and they went into a restricted area to search for the children. Nelson told him that he was in a restricted area would be arrested.

He tried to explain to Nelson that he was searching for the children but Nelson would not listen to him.

Nelson grabbed him at the waist and proceeded to take him to the police station. He told Nelson he was suffering discomfort because of the manner in which he was being held and Nelson hit him in the face.

Nelson said in his defence that the complainant used profanity and told him to release him. There was a struggle between them and he used his baton to subdue the complainant.