A policewoman was admitted to hospital last Friday after she was accidentally shot by her boyfriend who was playing with her service firearm, police told THE STAR yesterday.

The incident happened at the common-law couple's Toronto Avenue home off Molynes Road in St Andrew, police say. Up to yesterday, the 23-year-old constable, who works at the Community Safety and Security branch on Oxford Road, St Andrew, was still in hospital in stable condition.

Man arrested

The boyfriend, Ian Wallace, 35, a tour driver, has since been arrested and charged with shooting with intent, wounding with intent and illegal possession of firearm and ammunition. Police say he is to appear in court next Friday.

Reports reaching THE STAR, are that about 10:30 p.m., the couple, who has been living together for the past four years, was in bed when the policewoman got up to use the bathroom.

While she was in the bathroom, the boyfriend, police say, went into her handbag and took out her 9mm Glock service pistol which had a magazine with 15 rounds. He ejected a round from the breach of the weapon and released the magazine, police say.

But apparently not knowing that another bullet had gone into the breach when he ejected the first one, he pointed the gun at the policewoman.

Police say he was warned twice to put the firearm down, but refused and pulled the trigger, shooting the constable in her neck. The police were called and she was rushed to the hospital where she was admitted, while Wallace was taken in to custody.

Following investigations, he was arrested and charged by Detective Sergeant Quincy Sterling from the Half-Way Tree CIB.