Mom tells 11-y-o to beat her child

Senior Parish Judge Sanchia Burrell scolded the parenting style of a mother, who invited an 11-year-old to attack her daughter before both children had a physical altercation.

"Someone comes to you that they want to beat your daughter and you tell her 'Gwan guh beat her'? It should be illegal for you to have children. You don't see anything wrong with that? I have never heard of a mother telling someone to attack her child. The interpretation of your behaviour is that you are just a cantankerous person," the senior jurist said.

Her comments were aimed at Stephanie Gayle, a mother of three who is accused of attacking the complainant, the 11-year-old girl.

"She come a my shop and a cuss me and me tell her fi gwan. So she say she want fight my daughter and me tell her say 'See my daughter deh, gwan go beat her'. Your Honour, I don't touch her," Gayle explained, pleading not guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

Gayle's daughter was called into court to explain what happened between herself and the complainant.

"She [the complainant] say mother suck private parts," Gayle's daughter said.

"There needs to be some intervention," the senior judge said before referring the matter to restorative justice.

Gayle is to return to court on November 4 when the matter is set for mention.