The Tribune

By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune News Editor

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

A FEMALE police officer was left unconscious and bleeding from her head after a superintendent grabbed her hand, dragged her and shoved her into a stack of tiles at the Royal Bahamas Police Force Training College during a confrontation over her vaccination card, according to a Supreme Court ruling that awarded her more than $50,000 in damages.

Assistant Registrar Akeira Martin awarded Deborah Seymour $50,250 after finding that Superintendent Stephen Carey assaulted and battered her without lawful justification on August 30, 2021, while both were serving as police officers.

The Commissioner of Police and the Attorney General were found vicariously liable for Carey’s actions because he was acting in the course of his employment as a police officer and servant of the Crown.

The ruling, dated July 1, 2026, assessed damages after a default judgment was entered against Carey, the Commissioner of Police and the Attorney General. The defendants had filed a notice of appearance and memorandum of appearance in April 2022, but no defence was filed afterwards. The judgment order was not set aside.

Ms Seymour sued after the incident at the RBPF Training College, where she said she was carrying out her normal duties by checking the compound and the recruits’ living quarters when Mr Carey confronted her.

According to the unchallenged claim, Mr Carey shouted at Ms Seymour, questioned why she was in the area and asked whether she was vaccinated. He also requested her vaccination card.

Ms Seymour told him she was vaccinated but did not have her vaccination card. Mr Carey then told her to leave the area or be physically put out.

The ruling said Ms Seymour continued speaking with other police officers who were present before Mr Carey grabbed her by the hand and forcefully pulled her. She resisted. He then forcefully pushed her, causing her to hit a stack of tiles, fall and become unconscious.

When she regained consciousness, she saw blood draining from her head while other officers asked whether she was all right. Medical technicians attended to her before she was taken to the hospital and treated by a doctor.

The court said liability had already been established, and the defendants were liable for assault and battery against Ms Seymour, with no lawful justification for Mr Carey being hostile and physically touching her without consent.

Ms Seymour’s injuries included post-concussion syndrome, a head injury, pain radiating to her right shoulder and right lateral arm, lower neck pain and upper thoracic spine pain.

The ruling said Ms Seymour also lost confidence and the ability to perform romantic activities because of her head injury and chronic pain disorder. She also claimed she lost confidence and the ability to carry out regular exercise and sporting activities.

The court noted that Ms Seymour relied on a witness statement filed on April 22, 2026, which repeated the details of her claim and attached a photograph showing the physical injury to her head while she was still dressed in her RBPF uniform.

After being taken to the hospital by ambulance, Ms Seymour was diagnosed with head trauma or injury. She was later referred to psychologist and psychotherapist Dr Marie Allen, who told the National Insurance Board in a March 17, 2022 letter that Ms Seymour had shown symptoms of depression and anxiety because of the workplace altercation.

Dr Allen said Ms Seymour continued to experience depression and anxiety because of the traumatic incident and because the matter remained unresolved. She said Ms Seymour would benefit from additional therapy sessions to help her cope with the psychological effects of the incident.

Ms Seymour also attended the Nassau Neurological and Neurodiagnostic Centre, where she was seen by neurologist and neurophysiologist consultant Dr Charles Rahming.

Dr Rahming diagnosed her with post-concussion syndrome and recommended physical therapy for her neck. In a July 7, 2022 letter, Dr Rahming said Ms Seymour had pain in her lower neck and upper thoracic spine radiating to her right shoulder and right lateral arm, likely secondary to HNP C4-C5 as a result of being thrown into a stack of ceramic tiles.

He said her prognosis was guarded because she may have neck and shoulder pain for months or years, and it was unclear whether surgery would be required because no MRI of the spine had been performed. He also said it was unclear whether she would make a full recovery because MRIs had not yet been performed.

Ms Seymour sought general damages between $100,000 and $150,000. She also sought $50,000 to $100,000 in vindicatory damages, $50,000 to $100,000 in exemplary damages, $50,000 to $75,000 in aggravated damages and $15,000 to $20,000 in special damages.

The defendants argued for a far lower award. They submitted that general damages between $30,000 and $45,000 would be appropriate, along with $5,000 each for exemplary and aggravated damages, legal costs between $7,500 and $12,000 and interest at 6.25 percent from the date of settlement to payment.

The defendants also argued that Ms Seymour was not treated cruelly or inhumanely because Mr Carey was trying to protect her and other officers on the basis that she was unvaccinated.

Assistant Registrar Martin sharply rejected that argument, saying it was an incorrect submission because the undisputed facts were that Ms Seymour was vaccinated but did not have her vaccination card.

The registrar said there were better ways to de-escalate the situation, even if Ms Seymour had said she was not vaccinated. She said the justification advanced for Mr Carey’s actions was in itself cruel and inhumane.

She also said Mr Carey, as an agent of the state who was supposed to be a peace officer, abused the power he held as a police officer and expected to get away with it. She said such acts by police officers toward other officers should not be condoned, adding that no one should turn a blind eye to a man laying hands on a woman.

However, the registrar declined to award constitutional damages, saying she was bound by the way the claim was pleaded. She noted that although both sides addressed constitutional damages, Ms Seymour’s claim was limited to relief for assault and battery with damages to be assessed.

The court awarded Ms Seymour $50,000 for assault and battery and $250 in special damages. The registrar said that although Ms Seymour sought special damages for medical, transportation and travel expenses, no evidence supported the transportation and travel expenses and only one receipt was provided in relation to her post-concussion syndrome diagnosis.

Post-judgment interest was awarded on the total $50,250 at 6.25 percent from the date of judgment until payment.

The court also awarded Ms Seymour $20,000 in costs.