P.E.I. businessman accuses off-duty correctional officers in bar beating
Last Updated: Thursday, December 18, 2008 | 7:28 PM AT
CBC News
A well-known Souris businessman has accused off-duty P.E.I. correctional officers of beating him in an unprovoked attack at a Charlottetown bar last week.
Alan MacPhee has been told he may have suffered permanent damage to his right eye from the beating. (CBC) In a prepared statement read Thursday at his lawyer's Charlottetown office, Alan MacPhee said he has undergone two surgeries and suffered permanent damage after being attacked last Friday at St. James' Gate.
MacPhee had been at the Confederation Centre for a Christmas show before heading to the bar with friends. He said he was on the dance floor just after midnight dancing with two female friends when four or five assailants jumped him from behind.
"Not one word was exchanged between myself and the assailants prior to the assault," MacPhee said. "According to witnesses, I was held down on the floor and beaten continuously for four to five minutes."
After speaking with staff at the bar and conducting his own investigation, MacPhee said he's convinced the assailants are off-duty provincial correctional officers and his case may require a public inquiry.
Provincial Correctional Centre manager Craig McDowall told CBC News he is aware that correctional officers are being investigated for the assault.
Charlottetown police Deputy Chief Richard Collins cautioned that bar assaults can be difficult to investigate, due to dim lighting and potential witnesses having various of degrees of alcohol intake.
"It's darkly lit.… Some could be intoxicated, so it gets down to the credibility of witnesses and the quality of witnesses," Collins said.
He added some bar patrons are reluctant to come forward to help police in their investigations.
MacPhee said he has already observed that after talking to a witness who told him he was hesitant to make a statement because he thought the attack was a biker beating.
"Here I've been in the community working in business for 25 years and people think that I'm on a dance floor being beaten up by bikers?" MacPhee said incredulously.
MacPhee said he worries the close relationship between police and correctional officers could affect the investigation, and he doesn't want to see any special treatment.
But Collins insisted the investigation will be full and fair.
