Cop to stand trial for renting gun

Suspended police officer Curt Teesdale would have to face a judge and jury on three charges accusing him of renting his police-issued revolver and ammunition. Teesdale, who has 25 years’ service, was committed yesterday by Senior Magistrate Rajendra Rambachan to stand trial in the San Fernando High Court. Rambachan overruled a no-case submission by Teesdale’s attorney Richard Valere. He ruled that the State had led sufficient evidence against him for his committal.

The prosecution did not object to bail. Teesdale, 47, who was last assigned to the Mon Repos Police Station, was granted $30,000 bail, with his mother and sister signing as his bailors. The magistrate said he had no problem with Teesdale’s court attendance. It was in 2009 that Teesdale was charged for the offences, which allegedly took place on July 3, 2009, on Harris Promenade, San Fernando.

 The charges alleged that he transferred a quantity of nine-millimetre ammunition and a nine-millimetre Smith & Wesson pistol, the property of the T&T Police Service, to civilian Jarvis Mack. The third charge alleged that Teesdale, as a member of the T&T Police Service, misbehaved by transferring his gun and ammunition to Mack, contrary to common law. Teesdale opted not to say anything or call witnesses. He said he would write to the Director of Public Prosecutions within ten days to provide details of an alibi.

State attorney Trevor Jones prosecuted the matter by way of paper committal proceedings against Teesdale in the San Fernando First Magistrates Court last January. Mack was the State’s main witness. When Teesdale first appeared in court in 2009 he was granted $125,000 bail. Cpl Neil Moses laid the charges.