Court sends Councillor David Brown’s assault case to mediation

Councillor for the Montego Bay West Division in the St James Municipal Corporation David Brown made his first appearance in the St James Parish Court this morning to answer assault charges following an alleged altercation with a woman in May.

Brown, who had no attorney, entered a not-guilty plea when he appeared before presiding parish judge Sasha-Marie Ashley.

The court was told that on May 28, the female complainant, with whom Brown had a relationship, was sitting in her car when he knocked on the vehicle's window.

The two reportedly got into a dispute, during which Brown allegedly hit the complainant in her face, causing pain and swelling.

At court today, the matter was subsequently referred to restorative justice to allow the parties to resolve their differences, following a submission by the complainant's attorney Martyn Thomas.

In his submission, Thomas told the court that the underlying issues between his client and Brown, which had led to the altercation, could be settled at mediation.

Brown is slated to return to court on September 4.

Brown had previously run afoul of the law in 2018 for allegedly hitting a 65-year-old man with his licensed firearm on August 3 that year.

Brown spent five days in police custody in relation to that incident before eventually being released.

Prior to that incident, Brown came under fire for reportedly verbally abusing a woman on social media in March 2018.

- Christopher Thomas

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