Sisters fight over phone at police station

A Kingston woman who spat on her sister and fought her while at a police station will have to spend her Christmas holidays in a lock-up.

Tamika Steele pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct and threatening to kill when she was brought to the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court yesterday. The court heard that Steele and her sister were having a dispute over a cell phone when the police were summoned. The women were brought to the police station where they continued to argue but a police officer tried to mediate. The women became boisterous and Steele was asked to leave the room. When she took up her bag, it was reported that Steele spat in her sister's face and the sisters began fighting. At the station, Steele allegedly said "Me a go up deh go kill dem, [mother and sister's name redacted] if me nuh get my phone."

After hearing the police reports, Senior Parish Judge Lori-Ann Cole-Montague condemned the woman's acts. "All of this is over a phone?" the judge asked.

"Your Honour, is true you don't know what I go through at that house. From me a baby, my mother always a pick pon me. The sister gave me the phone three years ago," Steele said, referring to the iPhone which is valued at $22,000.

"Are we so materialistic in this country that a $22,000 phone is going to make you threaten to murder somebody, spit on the person in front of the police, and fight in front of the police? We need to realise our values in this country. Madam, you are spending your Christmas in custody," Cole-Montague chided.

The court heard further that while in custody, Steele tried to escape through a back door of the station. The cop said that he had to call his colleagues to assist in restraining her.

Cole-Montague then remanded Steele, who became boisterous

"A me alone a get lock up! A me alone a get lock up! Wah bout dem? A me alone do wrong?" she asked while being led away. The judge said that another charge of disorderly conduct is to be laid. Steele is expected to return to court on January 25.