ST JAMES, Jamaica – A St James man accused of assaulting his wife and daughter in the streets of Montego Bay had his case settled through mediation when he appeared in the St James Parish Court on Wednesday.

James had been charged with two counts of assault occasioning bodily harm.

According to court documents, in January this year, James encountered his wife and daughter on St James Street, where he proceeded to verbally abuse his daughter, alleging that she was siding with her mother in a dispute between him and his spouse. The mother then stepped in, leading to a heated argument between her and James that rapidly escalated.

The complainants were in the process of boarding a taxi when James reportedly attempted to hit his daughter. The mother intervened and was punched in the face by James, prompting her to retaliate.

In a bid to protect her mother, the daughter intervened and James grabbed her neck, the court document said, adding that amidst the ongoing commotion, onlookers were forced to step in to quell the disturbance.

The matter was reported to the police and James was arrested and charged.

On a previous mention date, the case was referred to mediation, with a subsequent update provided to the court on Wednesday indicating that the parties had reached a settlement.

Presiding judge Kaysha Grant-Pryce scheduled a follow-up hearing for April 23 to confirm James’ compliance with the terms of the agreement.