A reluctant witness who begged a judge to provide him protection from Police was violently arrested after stepping outside Magistrates' Court yesterday.

During the Wellington Oval trial, Antoine Anderson told the court that Police assaulted him after the lunch break and threatened him to testify. He also claimed Police falsified his statement about the fighting during the Wellington Oval skirmish.

Mr. Anderson, who showed Magistrate William Francis scratches on his arm after the lunch break, was deemed to be a hostile witness during the morning session.

A few moments before Mr. Anderson finished his testimony in the trial of four men accused of the Wellington Oval violence, a plain-clothed Police officer who had been in the courtroom throughout the trial left the premises.

After Mr. Francis said he could not help Mr. Anderson with any form of protection, Mr. Anderson left the courtroom. Seconds later shouting was heard.

A Royal Gazette reporter ran outside to see what the commotion was about and witnessed two or three plain-clothed Police officers punching Mr. Anderson, who was crouched to the ground and pinned against a wall.

A crowd, which included the mothers of the four A crowd, which included the mother of the four defendants, lawyers and judges, witnessed the brutal arrest of Mr. Anderson and a man who is understood to be his father.

Two mothers of the defendants who witnessed the ordeal said: “He (Mr. Anderson) just walked toward the door and they (Police) jumped him.

“They (Police) grabbed him and he (Mr. Anderson) said ‘let me go'. He was trying to break away and then they (Police) started beating on him (Mr. Anderson),” they said.

The two mothers added: “His (Mr. Anderson's) dad came over and they beat him, then they arrested him too.”

One mother said: “Even though Mr. Anderson was testifying against my son it was an injustice what happened to him.”

A Royal Gazette reporter saw one plain-clothed Police officer push a man, who is understood to be Mr. Anderson's father, up against a wall and forced handcuffs on him without giving any reason for the arrest. He was heard to say: “Let my son go. Leave him alone.”

The Police officer was assisted by another uniformed officer and Mr. Anderson's father was handcuffed and escorted out of Magistrates' Court.

A swarm of Police officers ran into the building as the arrests were being made.

Defence lawyer Leo Mills, who represents two of the defendants in the trial, witnessed part of the mayhem. “Three or four Police officers were wrestling (Mr. Anderson) to the ground. What triggered that action I do not know. I think one of the officers was the one present in the courtroom.”

Acting Magistrate Mark Pettingill who came off the bench to witness the commotion in the foyer of Magistrates' Court said: “Any type of disturbance in the precincts of the court is unacceptable. This matter has to be looked at very seriously.

Mr. Pettingill added: “Have the Police acted appropriately in affecting an arrest in the manner they did? Is there adequate security and procedure in our courts to deal with this type of disturbance?

“There were people present who were clearly not helping,” he added. One lawyer, who did not wish to be named and was present during the skirmish, said: “It appeared the Police and the DPP handled the situation very badly. It was not a sensible course of conduct in all the circumstances to try to make an arrest at that particular time.”

Last night Police issued a statement saying that two men were arrested, one of whom attempted to run while being arrested.

Last night a spokesperson at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital said Mr. Anderson was treated for his injuries and was discharged.

The Royal Gazette understands Mr. Anderson was arrested for perjury and will be charged today.