KINGSTON, Jamaica - An ex-cop who, while in the police force four years ago, reportedly collected $12,000 from a motorist for the return of a car was offered $500,000 bail when he appeared in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate’s Court.

The accused, Neil Gayle, 31, of Spanish Town, St Catherine address, charged for breaching the Corruption Prevention Act, was recently nabbed on his arrival in the island at the Norman Manley International Airport.

According to police report, on June 16, 2008 a motorist was driving a car in Kingston without a driver’s licence when he was stopped by the accused and the car seized.

It is further reported that the accused told the motorist that it would cost him $15,000 for the return of the vehicle, but they settled on $12,000, which was paid over to Gayle.

The matter was reported to the police and the director of public prosecution ruled in 2010 that he should be charged but the cop reportedly fled the island.

On Thursday Gayle’s attorney Vincent Wellesley denied the allegation. He told the court that the police had received a statement indicating that the policeman who had seized the motorist vehicle was not his client, but that statement was destroyed which resulted in the late ruling by the DPP.

Vincent also told the court that his client had not fled the island as he is a green card holder and had resigned from the force when he left.

Gayle was subsequently offered bail by the Magistrate on condition that he surrenders his travel documents and report to the Spanish Town Police Station three times daily.

He is scheduled to return to court on January 17.