Police officer jailed for beating up drunk tourist

A POLICE officer was jailed for 50 days for beating up a drunk tourist at Ercan airport. Gürşah Üregül attacked the victim, who was leaving the TRNC, in public on June 13, 2019, Lefkoşa Assize Court was told.

Mr Üregül “kicked the complainant three times while he was on the ground” including “one kick to his head”, the court heard.

While the complainant had been “drinking” and “swore at and pushed the defendant”, Mr Üregül, who was “on duty and in uniform” should have been “more resilient against the provocations” Judge Temay Sağer said.

The fact that the defendant “committed this crime in a public place such as Ercan airport” was an “aggravating factor” the judge said.

The TRNC is a “country of laws” and “no-one is allowed to serve justice themselves” Judge Sağer stated.

He said that the defendant was a member of the police force which is “responsible for safety and security” and that he considered it an aggravating factor that the crime was committed “while Üregül was in uniform”.

Judge Sağer expressed that when the police commit a crime it “undermines public trust” as they are obliged to “protect

the rights and freedoms of individuals by law”.

The complainant’s injuries “should also be taken into account when deciding the defendant’s sentence” the judge said.

The defendant’s lawyer stressed that the other police officer at the scene “did not intervene in the incident”, which the judge assessed in favour of the defendant.

Judge Sağer emphasised that the “way the crime was committed” and the “gravity” of the offence” were taken into consideration when deciding the sentence and that the punishment “should be a deterrent against this type of crime”.