CORPORAL Richard "Pampers" Simpson tried to swallow the $10,000 bribe he allegedly took from a taxi operator, when he was held in a sting operation last week, the court was told yesterday.

The policeman, who was held on Constant Spring Road in Kingston, wrestled with officers from the Professional Standards Branch who had set up the operation to nab him and desperately tried to swallow the money reportedly paid to him by the taxi driver to release his vehicle.

In a damning police report to the court yesterday, the investigating officer said while he wrestled with police who were trying to cuff him, Simpson took the $10,000 - in a transparent plastic bag - from his pants pocket, put it in his mouth and began chewing on it.

The investigator said another policeman assisted in "rescuing" the evidence from the mouth of traffic cop.

The court was also told that in his attempt to flee the grips of the policemen who were trying to cuff him, the bulky Simpson, who weighs more that 200 pounds, pulled his firearm and accidentally shot himself in his scrotum, losing one of his testicles in the process. He was admitted to hospital under police guard.

Yesterday, Resident Magistrate Martin Gayle remanded Simpson into custody, after the court was told that he threatened the main crown witness.

Simspson, the prosecution said, contacted the witness by telephone and allegedly told him he had set him up and that he should show up in court.

In refusing bail, RM Gayle told Simpson, who was stationed at the Half-Way-Tree Police Station, and who has 16 years' service, that the court took a serious view of threats, and it was on that basis that his bail application was denied.

The RM also told the police to make sure that he was taken to hospital for treatment for the gunshot wound.

Among the charges Simpson is facing are:

. breaches of the Corruption Prevention Act;
. resisting arrest;
. malicious destruction of property;
. assault; and
. threatening a crown witness.

The dramatic action played out on Constant Spring Road last week, after the complainant was ticketed for operating contrary to his road licence. His car was later seized by the policeman.

The taxi operator, the investigator said, was told to meet Simpson at the Half-Way-Tree Police Station. There he was told to pay the wrecker fee and return with his registration and fitness certificates.

However, he said that when he returned with the documents the accused told him he should get $10,000 and come back, and his car would be returned.

The complainant reported the matter to the Professional Standards Branch, who arranged the sting operation with marked notes.

The police took position, where they allegedly observed him taking the money from the complainant. They then made their presence known to Simpson, and asked him to hand over the money, but he violently resisted, tearing off the left sleeve of the shirt of a sergeant, and damaging his bracelet.

During the struggle Simpson fell from his motorcycle, after which he pulled his firearm and accidentally shot himself.
He was eventually relieved of his firearm, taken into custody and arrested on reasonable suspicion of Breaches of the Corruption Prevention Act.

The Director of Public Prosecution later ruled that he be arrested and charged after the file was sent to his office for a ruling.

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