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Manhunt after off-duty cop attacked

Commissioner of Police Stephen Corbishley (File photograph)

An off-duty police officer suffered a vicious attack from a group of men as his horrified wife and eight-year-old daughter looked on.

The policeman was kicked, beaten and struck with a scrambler motorcycle in front of his family at Clearwater Beach in St David’s after he warned a group of young men about their antisocial behaviour on Monday afternoon.

Commissioner of Police Stephen Corbishley said yesterday the officer, who sustained bruises and lacerations, was “simply doing his job and advising people as to their behaviour”.

The attack came after the policeman told the group, said to be men in their 20s, that their behaviour was alarming other beachgoers.

Mr Corbishley said the men drove their bikes around the car park, pulled “wheelies” and caused “fear to other persons”.

He added that the officer’s wife narrowly avoided being run over when one of the group rode his bike at her.

Mr Corbishley said one arrest had been made in connection with the incident and a motorbike had been seized as a result of a property search.

He added he “cannot underestimate the trauma that my officer and their family have gone through”, and promised to hunt the offenders down and bring them to court.

Mr Corbishley added: “The thing that makes me most regretful is that the Bermuda Police Service are seeing a reduction in violence.”

The attack happened at 4.30pm in the beach car park.

Mr Corbishley said it was “an isolated incident — it’s not one that is representative of what’s taking place in our community”.

The officer, who has not been named, is still off work as a result of the attack.

Mr Corbishley said anyone with information should contact police, and said that, based on information provided yesterday and on Monday night, the “persons responsible will be caught”.

The commissioner also criticised social media comments that suggested the officer had deserved to be attacked.