KINGSTON, Jamaica — A man who pleaded guilty to damaging his cousin’s gate and chain during a family dispute was ordered to pay $10,000 in restitution for malicious destruction of property when he appeared before the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court recently.

Ricardo Shakespeare was also charged with threatening his cousin during the incident.

According to court documents, the complainant heard dogs barking and was alerted to the accused beating on her gate with a crowbar. It is further alleged that he threatened her and chased her around the property.

Appearing before Senior Parish Judge Sanchia Burrell, Shakespeare alleged that his cousin often burned jeyes fluid, sulfur, and other substances that made him and his son sick, leading him to rush his son to the hospital on multiple occasions. He noted that he has tried to seek police intervention and had even pleaded with her to stop the burning.

Shakespeare, however, admitted to using a crowbar to break the chain on the gate because he wanted to stop the burning at the time.

Indicating that they live on a shared family property, Shakespeare noted that other family members had the same issue with the complainant. Judge Burrell then called in the other family members who agreed that the complainant was the problem.

“Is she a worker of iniquity?” Judge Burrell asked, to which the family responded affirmatively.

The complainant, however, countered, telling the court that the family members were fighting over land and accusing them of being “workers of iniquity”. She told Judge Burrell that she burned frankincense and myrrh to purify her space and rid it of negative energy.

Judge Burrell then took Shakespeare’s guilty plea to malicious destruction of property and ordered him to pay $10,000 for damages to the gate and chain.

He was admonished and discharged on the threat charge.

Shakespeare was also warned to stay away from the complainant and will return to court on February 28, 2025. His bail was extended.

— Kelsey Thomas