Man fined $10,000 for assaulting his aunt

A young man who assaulted and injured his aunt because she was "picking argument" with him was ordered to pay $10,000 or spend six months in prison.

The sentence was handed down in the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court last Friday.

Mario Bruce, 22, pleaded guilty to the charge of assault occasioning bodily harm, and claimed he had an explanation for harming his aunt.

The court heard that on September 5, Bruce pushed his aunt, causing her to fall to the ground and injure her elbow. However, he had a different account of what transpired.

"She was the one that try assault me, and me push her, and she fell down. Me was inside trying to go outside to walk away, and she blocked me way. Mi a try walk her out, and she always a pick argument," Bruce claimed.

However, Parish Jude, Judith Pusey, was dissatisfied with the explanation, and chided him for his actions towards his aunt.

"When my aunt talk to me, I have to grin and bear it. She is your aunt, she's not a child you can push around. How long you want to spend in prison for it? The maximum fine is one million, or five years," Pusey advised.

Bruce then pleaded with the judge, claiming he was in the right as he tried to avoid the confrontation. Pusey then ordered him to fork out $10,000 or send half a year in prison.