Man breaks babymother’s nose during argument

A Corporate Area man reportedly broke his babymother's nose as they argued when she came home early one morning from an event.

Kristoff James was remanded in custody following his first appearance in the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court on Wednesday. The complainant said that she returned home from a drink-out with friends on February 19 at 3:48 a.m. and prepared for bed. She tried to rouse James, who was lying in her preferred spot but he ignored her. The complainant then grabbed a sheet, intending to sleep on the carpet. An argument ensued and the complainant got dressed and informed a relative that she would be spending the night with them. James reportedly told her to leave his home but as she tried to secure her personal belongings, he allegedly blocked her path. After repeatedly asking him to clear the way, James allegedly said "Anyhow yuh touch mi, yuh ago see weh yuh get inna dis."

Moments after, the couple's four-year-old daughter woke up and the complainant tried to put her back to sleep. However, while doing so James tried to remove her underwear. It is reported that he then started to punch the complainant in her face and upper body, causing bleeding from her nose, mouth and forehead. The complainant indicated that she called the police for assistance, when James allegedly said "Call the police and yuh big p***y gal too, make she come defend it too." She was assisted to the hospital by her brother and the police. James was later charged with assault occasioning bodily harm and unlawful wounding.

When the matter was mentioned before Chief Parish Judge Chester Crooks, James' attorney, in a bail application, informed the court that James was guilty for assault but denied the allegations of unlawful wounding as he contends there was no breaking of the skin. But the senior judge said that plea was unacceptable.

"Based on the allegations, what I've seen and what the Crown has said, I can't see how the plea of not guilty [is made], when the two charges are intertwined and interconnected. It's either guilty or not guilty to both. I don't see how you can pick and choose there," Crooks argued. He shared that after seeing images of dried blood on the complainant's face and the cast for the complainant's broken nose, it would be a stretch of the imagination to say that the incident did not happen. Prosecutors opposed bail as the complainant expressed fear of the accused.

James was remanded in custody until March 29. His criminal records are to be made available at that time.