A 27-year-old motorist was fined $500 in Magistrates' Court yesterday for dragging a Police officer along Church Street, Hamilton.

Seymour Ramatar, 27, pleaded guilty to causing actual bodily harm to a Police officer and was fined by Magistrate Khamisi Tokunbo.

Yesterday Carl Neblett, chairman of the Police Association, said he hoped the sentence would be reviewed or appealed by the Department of Public Prosecutions.

He said: "We will wait and see what response is made. Where our stance is right now is the welfare of the officer should be addressed by the Commissioner of Police and brought to the DPP's attention."

Gregory White, a Reserve Officer, had stopped Ramatar's car outside the MarketPlace on Church Street, Hamilton at 3.10 a.m. on Tuesday morning.

Ramatar, of Sandys, had been driving erratically along Church Street, but when he was pulled over he refused to turn off the engine.

After Mr. White shouted multiple times "Stop Police" he reached into the car and tried to grab the key to turn off the car.

Ramatar then drove off with Mr. White hanging onto the driver's door and being dragged along the street. When he finally let go, Mr. White's right leg was run over by Ramatar's car before he drove off.

The officer was taken to King Edward VII Memorial Hospital, where he was treated for road rash and an injury to his right knee before he was released.

The car was impounded by the Police after being found abandoned in Pembroke and at 5.45 a.m. Police arrested Ramatar.

In an interview later that morning he told Police he was driving friends home and was afraid he would be given a ticket and lose his license.

Yesterday in court, Ramatar said: "I am guilty for it and I am sorry for what I have done.

"There was a car swerving and swerving and I tried to get out of its way when I was stopped by Police.

"I did not mean that to do that.

"I didn't know the Police was holding onto the car."

Magistrate Khamisi Tokunbo then fined Ramatar $500.