A visibly bruised Mark Benschop yesterday appeared again before acting Chief Magistrate, Juliet Holder-Allen, his sixth for this month and was granted $10,000 bail on charges of assaulting three policemen.

A lawyer for Benschop said in court he had been beaten at the station when he went there on Tuesday.

This time around the television personality faced three counts of assault. He was alleged to have assaulted Police Corporal #14845 Eustace Abraham, Superintendent Leon Fraser and Sergeant #10973 Eon Smith while at the Brickdam Police Station on Tuesday at about 1125 hrs.

He is also charged with disorderly behaviour and unlawful and malicious damage to property - a cabinet glass valued at $3,000 and property of the Guyana Police Force. He pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

The alleged incidents took place a few minutes after the magistrate had yet again dismissed previous charges against Benschop.

Representing Benschop were Deborah Backer, Raphael Trotman and Mark Waldron. Backer stated that her client was well known, the police knew where he lived and he had always attended court when required to and therefore should be sent on his own recognisance.

The magistrate asked whether it was the case that the defendant had a problem, since he had been in court just the day before. She said that if it were a case that he was attracting too much attention, she would be inclined to remand him until trial. "He was here yesterday and now he has a problem with the Brickdam Police Station." She insisted that the breach of peace had to stop.

Trotman then made his intervention stating that his client had been trying to make a report. Trotman said, "Last Sunday 20 ranks were at the defendant's house and yesterday the defendant was trying to recover his property."

The magistrate pointed out to the defence that their client needed to learn to stay out of trouble.

Trotman said that there was talk at the police station that "this court shows favour to this defendant and I want to go to any magistrate."

As regards his client's appearance, Trotman said, "If my client appears in this state then 'Robocop' (an apparent reference to Abrahim), 'Gangster' (an apparent reference to Smith) and Fraser should have broken limbs." Trotman also made the point that they were very concerned about the client's safety.

Trotman told the court that he was with Benschop at the police station and had left two minutes before the incident occurred. He said that he had not seen any of the officers mentioned in the charge at the Brickdam Police Station.

He said that his client went there on the instruction of a policeman (who remained nameless in court) to collect his car and other items.

Trotman claimed that three men were at the gate of the station and his client was leaving with his son's tricycle when the matter occurred. The attorney then asked the magistrate whether he had to take out a restraining order against the police. The magistrate asked whether it was a domestic violence case and he responded, "It might be tantamount to domestic abuse, because whenever they come, there is a breach of peace."

Trotman told the court that a lot of words had been exchanged as to who would be destroyed and gotten rid of.

The lawyer also noted to the court that no rank from the Brickdam Police Station was involved in the incident. "Brickdam police officers don't do those things, they don't threaten to take [people] out in front of another division's headquarters. They are only a few who are above the law. They are cowards, they should have been in court to stand behind their charges. A bunch of cowards."

Trotman also indicated that he was concerned about his client's safety in custody.

Asked why Benschop was invited to the station, Police Prosecutor Gordon Peters said, "I can't say why he was invited."

Pleading for bail, Trotman indicated that even though Benschop had allegedly beaten Guyana's three best cops, who were not attached to the Brickdam Police Station, they had placed him on his own recognisance.

Peters indicated to the magistrate that he was leaving the matter up to the court. The magistrate then placed the defendant on $10,000 bail and said that he must consult his attorneys at all times about all of his movements.

Trotman then asked the prosecution for an undertaking by the police that they would not beat the man again as they had agreed to the undertaking that their client would avoid the police.

Benschop will return to Court Six on March 6.