Woman and schoolgirl arrested for brawl

The St James Parish Court has transferred the case against a 17-year-old student who got into a fight with a transport centre employee to the Family Court.

Melisha Williams, the transport centre worker, is charged with assault occasioning bodily harm. Her matter was brought before the court on Wednesday, in a cross-case with the 17-year-old. While the date of the alleged incident was not disclosed, the court was told that Williams was at work at the Montego Bay-based centre, when she observed several students, including the teenage defendant, loitering at the facility and using indecent language.

Williams reportedly approached the students and told them to leave the area, but they soon returned, following which she began to use her cellular phone to video-record their actions. At that point, the teenage defendant reportedly slapped the phone out of Williams' hand, and a fight ensued in which both parties suffered injuries.

After hearing the allegations, presiding Parish Judge Kaysha Grant-Pryce told the teenager's mother that her daughter's case would have to be tried elsewhere.

"Mother, your daughter is charged with a very serious offence. However, she is in the adult court, and we do not deal with children here, and she is a child. This matter will be transferred to the Family Court for this matter to be heard, because they will not be tried together," Grant-Pryce said, while setting the teenager's matter for hearing in the Family Court on February 17.

In relation to the case against Williams, the prosecution revealed that the medical certificate is still outstanding from the case file. Grant-Pryce subsequently set Williams' case for hearing on February 26, and extended her bail to that date. The judge also ordered her to submit her fingerprints to the police.