KINGSTON, Jamaica — A woman, charged with disorderly conduct and indecent language after she stormed into a police station and inquired about two arrested men, was sent to a cell to “cool down” after she refused to apologise to officers when she appeared in court on Tuesday.

Appearing in the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court, before Senior Judge Sanchia Burrell, 20-year-old Khalifa Christie appeared soft-spoken and demure until lawmen revealed that she had stormed into a police station behaving badly as she inquired about two men who had been arrested previously.

Not only had Christie been acting boisterously, she also shouted repeatedly “This a f***ry!”

Christie pleaded guilty to both charges.

Shocked at the revelation, Judge Burrell told the court, “I cannot let this woman pay [a fine of] a thousand dollars.”

She further expressed concern that Christie had been charged under a more lenient law than the Constabulary Force Act. Under this Act, any person who uses threatening, abusive or calumnious language against police in the execution of their duty is liable to a fine not exceeding $1 million or up to six months in prison.

When given the opportunity to apologise to the officers in court, Christie declined. This swiftly landed her in a cell for a few hours with Judge Burrell encouraging her to think about what she wanted to say.

Christie had journeyed to the station to inquire about Adrian Martin and Gowayne Wheeler, who were picked up by officers for breaching a curfew order.

Wheeler, who had additional charges of resisting arrest and assaulting a constable, did not appear in court. However, Martin pleaded guilty and was fined.

— Dana Malcolm