Woman beats man for abusing dog

A young woman was slapped with a $5,000 fine after admitting to beating her neighbour with a broom stick for assaulting her dog.

Twenty-one-year-old Merri-Jo Whyte pleaded guilty to the charge of assault occasioning bodily harm when she appeared in the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court yesterday. She added that she had an explanation for the December 27 incident.

"I did it because he abused my dog," Whyte began.

"He slapped my dog with a broom stick, and break the stick on the dog. When I asked him why he did it, he told me to go [expletives], and say if me bad, I must hit him back. So, mi prove say me bad. Mi tek the broom and lick him back," and enraged Whyte said.

She went on to tell the presiding judge Judith Pusey that the complainant constantly attacks the dog and interferes with her meek mother, which is why she decided to retaliate.

Upon hearing the explanation Pusey told Whyte to take the dog to the veterinarian and have it treated. She also told the accused to have the police charge the man under the appropriate law if a similar situation arises in the future.

Whyte was then ordered to pay $5,000 or spend six months in prison.