Policeman sentenced to 5 years for beating prisoner

A police officer has been sentenced to five years in jail for beating a prisoner. Today Cyril Wade appeared before Justice Troadio Gonzalez after being convicted of aggravated assault. In announcing the sentence Justice Gonzalez pointed out that because of a 2003 conviction for wounding, for which Wade received only a five hundred dollar fine, he felt compelled to give him some jail time. The trial had a controversial ending when the day after the jury returned with what was believed to be a unanimous decision, it was revealed that that four out of the nine jurors had wanted to convict him for the lesser charge of wounding. Justice Gonzalez asked both the defence and prosecution to present submissions, but in the end said he had to uphold the original verdict. Wade is expected take his case to the Court of Appeal at it=s next sitting in two weeks time. The former officer was accused of brutally beating prisoner Emil Pinelo at the San Ignacio police station on September thirteenth, 2004. Due to the injuries Pinelo received, doctors had to remove two feet of his intestines.