MONTEGO BAY, St James — A long-standing feud between two men erupted into a violent clash at a Montego Bay plaza and has now found its way before the Paris
h Court, where both men were directed to pursue restorative justice.

On Wednesday, Kingsley Morris and Zievron Hood appeared in the St James Parish Court, with each man filing charges against the other.

Morris is charged with unlawful wounding and malicious destruction of property in relation to Hood, while Hood stands accused of unlawful wounding against Morris. Morris is being represented by attorney-at-law Martyn Thomas, while Hood appeared without legal counsel.

Both men reportedly share a long history of disputes.

The latest confrontation occurred at Westron Plaza in Montego Bay around 6:00 pm on August 6. According to the allegations, Morris confronted Hood over an incident from the previous month. An argument ensued during which Morris allegedly swung a knife at Hood before retreating to his car and returning armed with a bottle and a machete.

He then allegedly used the bottle to smash the door, window, and windscreen of Hood’s Toyota Hiace before chasing Hood upstairs in the plaza and inflicting machete wounds to his face and neck.

In Hood’s case, the allegations are that on that same day and at the same location, while both men were soliciting passengers bound for Ocho Rios, Hood pushed Morris during a dispute. Morris pushed back, prompting Hood to draw a knife. Hood allegedly slashed Morris’s left hand and, during a subsequent fight, stabbed him in the back, hand, side, and abdomen.

Both men were arrested and charged following reports to the police.

After hearing the men’s accounts on Wednesday, Parish Judge Natiesha Fairclough-Hylton was clear on the way forward.

“Having heard that this is a long-standing issue I’m minded to send the parties to restorative justice to see what can be resolved there,” she said.

The matter has been set for mention on October 29, pending the outcome of the restorative justice process.