Two Police Officers Found Guilty Over Viral COVID Lockdown Video

A six-year court battle over a video that shocked the nation has ended with two police officers being found guilty of wilful oppression. This afternoon, a nine-member High Court jury unanimously convicted Corporal Jason Shaw and Police Constable Leslie Martinez for their roles in recording a couple engaged in a sexual act inside an abandoned building during the COVID-19 lockdown in April of 2020. Prosecutors said the recording was later shared in a police WhatsApp group called “Loyal Group” before it circulated publicly. The jury deliberated for just under two hours before returning guilty verdicts against both officers following a four-day retrial before Justice Derick Sylvester. The case was retried after an earlier trial ended in a hung jury. A third officer who was originally charged alongside Shaw and Martinez was later granted immunity by the Director of Public Prosecutions and testified for the Crown during the retrial. Throughout the proceedings, the prosecution argued that the officers misused their authority by recording and sharing the video, while the defence maintained that neither officer was involved in making the recording. Justice Derick Sylvester has adjourned sentencing until October first. Both officers were granted continued bail, while the court ordered social inquiry, psychiatric, antecedent and victim impact reports ahead of sentencing.