The British citizen who suffered facial injuries after an incident involving two off-duty policemen at Palm Court, Georgetown, in the early hours of Saturday morning has vowed to stay in the country to ensure that his case is seen through.

Forty-two-year-old Vernon Langhorne told Stabroek News yesterday that fears of repercussions after he lodged an official complaint against one of the police ranks earlier this week almost drove him to leave the country. The ranks are alleged to be members of the Target Special Squad.

"I became really worried that there would be some kind of intimidation," he said. "But so many people have pulled me aside and said you can't let this go."

Langhorne has been recuperating at a friend's house since the incident and had remained indoors until yesterday. He said the reception he had received from the public on leaving the house yesterday had been supportive.

"It's important to get my integrity together," the carpenter from Greater London said. "I just want to highlight the whole situation.

"I ain't going nowhere," he said. "I'm fighting this through. I'm staying."

Police Press Officer, Assistant Superintendent David Ramnarine, confirmed that an incident involving two off-duty police ranks and 42-year-old Vernon Langhorne took place at around 2:30 am on the day in question.

According to Ramnarine, Langhorne was perceived to have directed comments at the two ranks and a scuffle ensued and his injuries were sustained. Langhorne was then taken to the Brickdam Police Station where he was searched but not charged.

According to Langhorne, he was standing on the edge of the dance floor when an individual, who had been seen talking with one of Langhorne's female companions earlier, jostled him.

Langhorne maintains that he spun around to ask why the individual had jostled him and was lifted from behind and dashed into a concrete pillar. According to Langhorne, he was then bundled into a car and taken to Brickdam Police Station.

"My face shows no signs of a scuffle," he said earlier this week. "It's just one smash."

According to Ramnarine, a statement has been obtained from the rank accused of injuring Langhorne and eyewitness accounts are being compiled. The rank has not been charged.

"Once a police rank has been implicated," Ramnarine said yesterday, "certain procedures have to be followed."

Langhorne has been visiting Guyana, the birthplace of his father, for the last two years in order to establish a children's protection project in Linden.