Former prostitute slaps female for exposing her past

A former commercial sex worker told the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court on Wednesday that being reminded of her past life caused her to 'black out' and slap her neighbour in her face.

The woman pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm. She said she gained employment on a construction site through the assistance of the complainant. However, she said the complainant always bragged about getting work for her on a construction site, even though she knew that the defendant was adamant about changing her lifestyle.

"Your Honour, me used to do prostitution and me a try change my life 'cause a seven kids me have. My babyfather molested a 13-year-old and she [the complainant] know about all of it and she went to work and a tell people say my babyfather molest people. Your Honour, my prostitution is behind me and she went to the work site and tell people that I used to dance go-go and a gentleman [from the site] walk up to me and say, 'Look how you look good, yuh nuh supposed to deh here, a resign you resign or you still a sell?' All of this is coming from her. I am trying to change my life and on that day, I was so ignorant," she said.

"Look here, if you know something about somebody and you see that person trying to change their life, it is wrong to talk about it," Senior Parish Judge Lori-Anne Cole-Montaque said.

"You knew you were wrong to do that," the judge scolded Green, for hitting the complainant.

In efforts to resolve the matter, the senior judge asked the complainant if she was seeking compensation.

"Your Honour, I just want her to stay far from me. My heart clean because any money me ago charge her, she caah pay me. I just want you to warn her to stay far from me. Me know she nuh have it, yuh think a likkle time she beg me?" the complainant told the judge.

"I am sincerely sorry and let's just put it aside," the defendant said.

Judge Cole-Montaque imposed a sentence of six months' imprisonment suspended for 18 months for the defendant.

"I think at this stage of you life, you need to learn that you don't need to respond to everything. You are a big woman, you said you are changing around your life, so you must walk on the straight and narrow. Do not let people press your buttons and draw you out like shoe laces, don't do it," she advised. - T.T.

T.T.