Woman on public mischief charge handed suspended sentence
KINGSTON, Jamaica — A woman who was brought to court to answer to a charge of public mischief on Tuesday, was given a suspended sentence after Senior Parish Judge, Lori-Ann Cole-Montague acknowledged the woman was perhaps “in need.”
The woman, Tanya Campbell had told the police that her common-law partner had an illegal firearm. But as she stood before the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court, Campbell said she lied as a result of being abused.
“Him always a fight mi in front mi daughter miss and mi never like it. Mi fraid him woulda lick her too,” she told the judge.
The matter against her common-law partner, who was charged with being armed with a prohibited weapon and assault at common law, was withdrawn after Campbell told the Court she lied about being threatened with a gun.
Acknowledging the woman’s demeanor, the Cole-Montague told Campbell that although the offence could have easily warranted a term in prison, she would not send the woman to jail.
“I realise that you are someone in need. You didn’t like what was happening in front of your children and I see that in some way, you are a victim, so I take that into account,” the senior parish judge said. “I will not send you to prison, but the offence is a serious one and the sentence must reflect that it is serious.”
Campbell was subsequently sentenced to four months imprisonment at hard labour, suspended for 18 months.
This means that if Campbell had any further run-ins with the law before the 18 month period ends, she would serve her four month prison term.