Cashier says she stabbed woman who ‘bounced’ her

A cashier of a Kingston address was ordered to make compensation after she confessed to stabbing another woman when she appeared in the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court on Monday.

The defendant, Ruth Grant, pleaded guilty to unlawful wounding. Her co-accused, Paul Davidson, is charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm. He has denied the allegations. The court heard that on February 5, the complainant was walking along Victoria Street in downtown Kingston, when she stopped to assist a child crossing the street. She indicated that afterwards, she felt someone grab her from behind, then another person grabbed her hair and stabbed her in her neck and spinal cord.

Having heard the police reports, Senior Parish Judge Lori-Ann Cole-Montague allowed Grant to explain her actions.

"She always see me and trouble me, say me a her sister beating stick. Before me and her start fight, I was walking on the road, say me a go to my friend [name redacted]. This girl (the complainant) put her body like this [indicating to the court the posture] and bounce me," Grant said.

bounce mi

"That's why you stabbed her?" the judge queried. "Yea, because she bounce me," Grant said. The complainant said that she had no previous altercations with Grant and shared with the judge that she heard Grant say, "Me shoulda stab yuh, kill yuh." The police officer told the court further that Grant, on caution, said, "Me never see this female yet fi stab her." However, Grant denied those claims.

The complainant indicated that she is seeking compensation because of the injuries she sustained in the incident, and had to undergo a blood test to determine the reason for her frequent blackouts.

The judge ordered Grant to make compensation in the sum of $180,000, and she should bring $60,000 on the next occasion that the matter is before the court. Grant is to return to court on March 21 for sentencing, while Davidson will have his matter mentioned on the same date.

T.T.