Compensation for La Brea man for bad robbery charge

A LA BREA man who was kept in police custody for seven days and eventually charged with armed robbery although he was not identified at two confrontation identification exercises will be compensated by the State.

Peter Frederick will receive $265,000 in damages as ordered by Justice Frank Seepersad who held an hour-long trial at the San Fernando High Court on Wednesday.

In a decision after the trial, Seepersad held that it was “unacceptable that in the absence of being pointed out at an identification parade, and where there was no confession,” that Frederick – an Afro-Trinidadian, was charged because he fit the description of a tall black man.

Seepersad said there was a need for reform to make errant officers bear the personal responsibility of paying for damages if ordered by the court.

In awarding Frederick damages, interest was also added to the judgment sum.

Frederick was arrested on August 17, 2015. He was told by police he was wanted for questioning by the La Brea police. He said he was put in a dirty, smelly, holding cell at the station and was then taken to the Siparia station where he was asked to sign a blank piece of paper. He refused.

He was also taken to Techier Village where his common-law wife lived and her home was searched. Nothing was found and he was taken back to the Siparia station. Four days after his arrest, Frederick was told he would be put on an identification parade.

This was abandoned and instead a confrontation identification exercise was done since an ID parade could not be done.

He was not identified at the first confrontation identification and the next day was put on another. Both times he was not identified but was not released although he was told he would be if he was not pointed out.

On August 24, 2015, he was charged with armed robbery and taken to court. After being repeatedly denied bail, he was eventually successful in getting bail 65 days later.

On July 26, 2016, the charge was dismissed when the police failed to provide disclosure of the evidence.

Frederick was represented by attorney Tamara Gregorio and Joseph Sookoo while the State was represented by Stefan Jaikaran.