Tashieka Mair, Gleaner Writer

WESTERN BUREAU:

Detective Constable Carey Lyn-Sue, who pleaded guilty to perverting the course of public justice after a much-publicised confession to fabricating evidence in a murder case, was yesterday sentenced to six months in prison.

Resident Magistrate Winsome Henry, who handed down the sentence in the Montego Bay Resident Magistrate's Court in St James, told the accused that his actions were unjustifiable as they were against the rule of law.

Henry said the constable's confession sent "shock waves" through the legal system, as persons began to question the credibility of the police force.

Premeditated action

The resident magistrate said she believed Lyn-Sue, who was attached to the accident reconstruction and investigative unit in St James, was punished enough and would continue to be punished, but said the case was cause for concern.

She also said, despite the fact that other warrants were out for the murder accused, the cop's actions were premeditated.

In April 2006, while the 32-year-old constable was carrying out investigations in relation to a murder in Granville, St James, he prepared and signed a statement by a fictitious witness. As a result, a warrant was prepared for the murder accused, Jason James.

Case dropped

However, on January 15, Lyn-Sue, who has been a cop for seven years, gave sworn evidence to Resident Magistrate Carolin Tie that he had made up the statement. The matter was already set for preliminary enquiry, but had not got underway.

As a result of Lyn-Sue's confession, the case was dropped against James, who is said to be a member of the notorious Killer Bees gang.

James was charged in relation to the April 1, 2006, gun murder of Sheldon Shaw, 23, of Retirement, Granville. However, James remains in prison for an unrelated gun court matter.

Lyn-Sue was a serving member of the Jamaica Constabulary Force for more than seven years.