Sister hits sibling with bucket in water brawl

A dispute about water being spilled in a yard has brought two sisters before the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court.

It was shared that Delores Smith and her sister reside at a premises in central Kingston. The complainant arrived home one afternoon and saw Smith throwing water at the front of the yard - making it muddy - and beseeched her to stop. Smith ignored her requests, even as the complainant stressed that she should not be wasting the already scarce commodity. It is alleged that Smith doused the complainant with water and hit her in the head with the bucket. A report was made to the police and she was subsequently charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

However, when Smith appeared before Senior Parish Judge Lori-Anne Cole-Montaque, she was adamant that she did nothing to harm her sister.

"Your Honour, I don't trouble her. Me make a report to the police because she bite me on my ears. Every time me go station dem run me and side with her," Smith explained.

The investigator informed the senior jurist that the women were referred to a restorative justice centre before coming to court, but efforts to resolve the matter had proven futile.

"Your Honour, she tell the person that before she give me any money she rather sleep pon the sidewalk," the complainant explained, before adding that she wants Smith to move from her property. Judge Cole-Montaque, recognising the tension between the women, indicated that she would be imposing bail conditions on Smith, to maintain the peace between them.

Smith is to report to the police once weekly, must not interfere with the complainant and must not throw water on the premises. An order was also made for Smith to leave her sister's premises by December 2. Smith is to return to court on March 11, 2024, when the matter is set for mention.

- T.T.