ST ANDREW, Jamaica – An 81-year-old landlord was charged with two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm after he allegedly used a machete to cut his tenant on the head and then attacked the man’s 12-year-old child.

The accused, Thomas Bucknor, pleaded not guilty to the charges when he appeared in the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court on Tuesday.

The allegations are that on September 14, Bucknor barred the complainant from entering the premises because he claimed the man owed rent. Bucknor, the court was told, retrieved a machete and used it to hit the complainant on the right side of his head.

In relation to the other count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, it was revealed that on November 8, the child arrived home from school, when he was attacked by Bucknor, which resulted in him sustaining an injury on his right leg.

The extent of this injury was not disclosed in court.

Responding to his not guilty plea, Senior Parish Judge, Lori-Ann Cole-Montague, asked Bucknor if he did “anything to them,” to which he answered, “A set them a try set mi up.”

The adult complainant explained to the judge that they have since moved from the premises. However, given that the father and son still live in the community, he explained that Bucknor is still harassing his child.

“Your Honour, don’t listen to this man,” the father began, then added that from the very first day he moved in he was harassed by Bucknor.

“Your Honour, him still seeing my child and showing him middle finger, up to yesterday [Monday, November 21] him was show my child middle finger. He might be old but he is a very dangerous man” he told the judge.

“I never thought I would ever have to say to an 81-year-old man, but don’t show the child no middle finger,” Cole-Montague said.

The man noted that when he went to the hospital after he was allegedly wounded by Bucknor, when he told the doctor what caused his injuries, he claimed that the doctor was not shocked that Bucknor was the culprit.

“He is a nuance to the community,” the man said.

The matter was referred to Restorative Justice, where they would be able air their grievances in front of a trained impartial mediator.

Additionally, the matter was set to be mentioned again on January 18, 2023.