Senior citizen upsetting neighbours with bleach

A 81-year-old pensioner was on Thursday fined for breaching the Public Health Nuisance Regulations, by throwing harsh chemicals outside her home, causing a nuisance for residents of a Corporate Area community.

Veronica Young was brought before the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court to answer to a count of failing to obey a written notice server. The court heard that last October, Young threw bleach and ammonia down her driveway and by the sidewalk, which emitted noxious fumes that affected passers-by and neighbours.

"Our eyes burnt, our nose, throat, our nostrils burnt, we were nauseated, we wanted to faint. We wanted to vomit, it was suffocating," related the public health inspector in charge of the case. Inspectors from the Kingston and St Andrew Public Health Department indicated that on several instances, they received calls, videos and reports of Young's actions, resulting in them serving her notice to cease and desist from throwing the noxious fumes. Prosecutors shared further that there was a petition from residents to have Young stop throwing chemicals at her gate.

"This is so bizarre! This is so odd," expressed Senior Parish Judge Sanchia Burrell. Section 4(1) of the Public Health Act says; " A Medical Officer (Health), a Public Health Inspector or any person authorised by the Minister in writing on that behalf (hereinafter referred to as an "authorised person") or a Local Board may, on becoming aware of the existence of a nuisance on any premises, serve on the owner or occupier of the premises or on the person causing or permitting the nuisance, a notic e in writing requiring the owner, occupier or person--

(a) to abate the nuisance within such reasonable time not being more than thirty days as may be specified in the notice; and (b) to perform such act as the Medical Officer (Health), the Public Health Inspector, an authorised person or Local Board considers to be reasonably required to abate or prevent the recurrence of the nuisance.

"She washes her driveway with it," attorney-at-law Shannon Clarke submitted as plea in mitigation. Clarke argued that Young is a retired housewife and this was her first time before the court.

"Whatever she is doing, she needs to stop because bleach and ammonia should not be mixed. It is affecting the members of the public and even the public health inspectors," Burrell said.

Young breached nuisances 3 and 10 (1) as stipulated under the Act and those found guilty are subjected to a maximum fine of $500,000 or six months imprisonment at the first instance. The fine is doubled if there is a second instance.

"Whatever you are doing, it stops today. Whatever you are throwing at your gate, that you ritualistically do at nights, it stops now," the senior jurist warned. Young was fined $100,000 or 30 days' imprisonment.