Resisting arrest: Trinidad and Tobago

Q: I was recently arrested and charged with  assaulting a police officer and resisting arrest. What punishment can I expect when I get to court?

A: According to s.59 of the Police Service Act 2006, as amended:

A person who assaults, obstructs, or resists a police officer in the execution of his duty, or aids or incites another person so to assault, obstruct, or resist a police officer or a person assisting the police officer in the execution of his duty, is liable on summary conviction to a fine of ten thousand dollars and to imprisonment for two years.

I do not suggest going to court alone because these are serious offences and you need a Lawyer to present your mitigating factors for sentencing. This basically means that the Lawyer would go to court to beg for leniency and explain why your sentence should be minimal. S/he would mention things like how many children you have, you being the sole breadwinner, illnesses, age, etc.