Higglers in bust-up over cardboard
A dispute over a sheet of cardboard resulted in two downtown Kingston higglers appearing before the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court last Tuesday.
Both women, Sandra Francis and Nadine Blake, were charged with assault occasioning bodily harm.
Speaking about the incident, Blake alleged that on March 1, she asked a delivery truck driver who was parked near her stall for a sheet of cardboard and the driver complied. She then claimed that Francis approached her and held onto the cardboard she was given.
“It was in my hand and she held onto it and the truck (driver) said to (Francis) that the cardboard was already given and taken by Nadine,” Blake said in a statement.
But, Blake said Francis responded, “a dis me want,” then slapped Blake on her hand.
The two women proceeded to fight, Blake said.
Both women reportedly suffered bruises and swelling to their faces from the altercation, but Francis suffered an eye injury which warranted a visit to the doctor costing her $4,000.
However, responding to the circumstances surrounding why both women appeared before her, Senior Parish Judge, Lori-Ann Cole-Montague said, “This fight is over a piece of cardboard? Ladies, you see how that sounds ridiculous.”
Speaking on Francis’ temperament, Blake alleged that the former was punched in the eye last year in a wholesale by another person.
“How them can take set on your eye so?” Cole-Montague asked Francis.
Meanwhile, Blake told the court that since the incident Francis, “throw word from morning till evening.”
Blake then agreed to compensate Francis for the eye injury and gave her $4,000 for her treatment. Both women were subsequently admonished and discharged.
“The matter finished now. Don’t come back,” the judge said as the women were leaving.