By Rasbert Turner, STAR Writer

spanish town, st. catherine

A 39-year-old man who is alleged to have attacked a police officer was shot and injured and is now a patient in hospital under police guard.

THE STAR learnt that at about 5:30 p.m. on September 10, a woman's shout of 'rape' in the Browns Hall community of rural St. Catherine, alerted members of the community who stopped a police unit that was passing. One of the lawmen alighted the vehicle and went into the yard where it is alleged that the man was found without his pants, holding unto the woman who showed signs of distress.

The police say they approached them and told the man to stop what he was doing. He is alleged to have attacked the lawman with stones and a knife and was shot in the right side of his upper body.

In recent times police statistics have shown that while there is a major reduction in most crimes including murder, sexual offences are still a problem area for the lawmen.