Woman beaten for rubbish

An argument stemming from garbage disposal has resulted in a 34-year-old call centre worker being remanded in custody until October.

Nicholie Authers pleaded guilty to unlawful wounding before Senior Parish Judge Sanchia Burrell on Tuesday. The complainant, who limped into the courtroom, said the injury was caused by the brute force expelled on her by Authers, who used a piece of plyboard to beat her all over her body. The complainant, who is a hairdresser, stated that on June 28, she discarded her garbage in a bin located in her yard. Shortly after that, she saw the garbage in front of her doorway.

"Him is the only man in the yard and from ever since him have a problem wid me. All of a sudden, him move the rubbish bin from where it is and when me throw rubbish in there, him say 'Big eediat gal, yuh nuh hear me say nuh throw nuh rubbish in there' and me say 'Yuh caah stop me'," the complainant related.

An argument developed between the neighbours and the complainant walked away. However, she felt a blow to her back and was then beaten all over her body.

"Did you inflict injuries on the lady using a piece of board? Why though?" the senior judge probed.

"Yes, Your Honour, because she spat in my face," Authers responded.

"She spat in your face? Like she go 'hawk tuh' or she was talking and spit fly out her mouth?" Burrell probed further.

"She go 'hawk tuh'," the defendant responded.

"Oh, okay and you didn't have any spit to spit back on her? I mean, it should be spit for spit. She spat on you and you used a piece of board and pulverised her. That was an extreme reaction, don't you think?" the judge said.

Authers, who has been employed to a call centre for two years, was remanded in custody until October 23, when he is to be sentenced. He was made the subject of a fingerprint order and a social enquiry report was also requested by the judge.

A bail application is expected to be heard before that date, as the judge indicated that she was minded to offer the defendant bail, with a condition.

"I don't understand why you would throw away your future by reacting so badly. Let us say that it is true that she spat on you, why would you react so ignorantly? I would consider bail for him but I need him to live elsewhere. I need him out of the community," the judge said.