Man chokes neighbour for throwing water on him
Published:Saturday | August 10, 2013 | 12:00 AM
Christopher Thomas, Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:A St James man who reportedly choked his next-door neighbour after she threw water on him had his bail extended to August 19 when he appeared in the Montego Bay Resident Magistrate's Court on Monday.
Sheldon Rashford, of Montego Bay, pleaded guilty with explanation to assault occasioning actual bodily harm committed against Cecilyn Lawrence, who was not present at court on Monday.
The case was put off to allow time for Lawrence to be contacted and for mediation to be arranged between the two parties.
The court was told that on July 18, approximately 2:55 p.m., Rashford went to Lawrence's side of their shared property and entered her room, where he grabbed her by the throat. Lawrence then fell to the ground, hitting her back and sustaining bruising and swelling.
In court, Rashford told Resident Magistrate Winsome Henry that the incident started when Lawrence's attempt to pick a breadfruit resulted in Rashford's girlfriend getting injured.
"Me and my girlfriend were sitting at the back of the yard, and the complainant (Lawrence) asked a man to pick the breadfruit, and it fell on my girlfriend's head," said Rashford. "I went to the complainant's window and informed her, and she asked me to remove from her window, then she threw water through the window at me. I thought it was urine, and I asked her what it was, and she said it should have been acid."
"Did you buy medication for her (Lawrence)?" asked the resident magistrate.
"Yes, Your Honour, but she said she didn't want it," said Rashford.
"I want the complainant here because this is a matter for mediation, because you all live in the same yard," said Henry.