Montego Bay, Jamaica (Mckoy’s News) – Woman Constable Sent to Prison for 2 ½ Years for Harbouring a Fugitive: Former St. James Police Constable Kaye Falconer, who was found guilty in February for harbouring a fugitive in relation to the 2013 escape of inmate Greg Taylor from police custody, was sent to prison for two-and-a-half years when she appeared in the St. James Parish Court on Friday, July 7.
Woman Constable
Sentencing was handed down by Parish Judge Natalie Hart-Hines.
The sentencing process suffered a delay for various reasons and it was also revealed that the woman constable was suffering with clinical depression and hypertension and was hospitalized for a while.
A report presented to the court indicated that Falconer had passed through a trying ordeal as a child and it was also disclosed that she lost her husband, son and mother between the years 2012 and 2016.
In light of all that, attorney-at-law Adrian Dayes, who represented Falconer, pointed out to the court that those series of incidents could have been a contributing factor to her deteriorating condition since 2013.
According to the attorney, she has a condition of depression that was not in remission and pointed out to the judge that a non-custodial sentence would allow her to return to normal functionality.
“What we have before us is a person who is of good character. She would have been demonstrating signs of depression leading up to the offence. She is having a problem with cognition and judgement,” said Dayes.
In handing down her ruling, the judge told Falconer that her actions of having Taylor, who she knew was a fugitive from justice, at her home, constituted a breach of the public’s trust in the police.
The judge also pointed out the seriousness of the offence and told Falconer that she was personally and actively keeping the escaped prisoner from the arm of justice.
“The public’s confidence in the police has been negatively impacted, the judge added.
Having said all of that, Hart-Hines told Falconer that she would not impose the maximum of three years and took into consideration a number of things including her medical condition but added that she has not seen any evidence of remorse from the accused woman. Judge Hart-Hines, however, made an order for her to get counselling and for her medical condition to be monitored.
Falconer was arrested and charged after an escaped inmate, Greg Taylor, who the police had described as dangerous, was recaptured at her home in Glendevon, St James on February 24, 2013.
Taylor had escaped custody at Freeport Police Station in Montego Bay under questionable circumstances on January 30, 2013.
It is reported that at the time of Taylor’s recapture, a police team went to Falconer’s house with a warrant, and subsequently found him hiding under a table at the house wearing a bathrobe and bedroom slippers.
Other police personnel were also charged in connection with the incident.