Man beats up babymother for $1,000

A 22-year-old man was sentenced to one year's probation on Tuesday after he confessed to hitting his child's mother for taking $1,000 from him.

The man was brought before the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court on an executed warrant, having missed his court date last September. It was reported by the complainant that on July 2, 2021 about 7 p.m., she visited his home and asked him for $1,000. But he told her that he did not have the cash. The complainant indicated that she told her boyfriend that he had just been paid, implying that he should have money. She then sat on the bed, took up a pillow and saw money under it. She removed $1,000 but her boyfriend began to bend her thumb to retrieve it. The complainant said that she returned the money but her boyfriend used his hand to hit her under her chin, saying "Memba a yuh did lick me first."

A fight ensued and the boyfriend punched the complainant on her back and head. The court heard that he grabbed the complainant by her hair and bit her on her left arm. When the matter was mentioned before Senior Parish Judge Lori-Ann Cole-Montague, the boyfriend pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm and explained that he told the complainant the money did not belong to him.

'PEOPLE MONEY'

"She still a draw it so mi stay suh now and put the money in my pocket. She start say a so me stay and she start carry on so me say 'Weh yuh want me do, me fi gi yuh people money?" and she say "A nuh people money, a your own." I think $1,000 drop out my pocket and a so she get it," the boyfriend said.

The court heard that the boyfriend and the complainant have been together for three years and share a two-year-old daughter. However, the complainant informed the judge that since their court date last year, they have sought to resolve their issues through counselling. The accused man has also received anger management counselling. The complainant also told the judge that she has seen a major improvement in his behaviour, pursuant to the counselling sessions.