KINGSTON, Jamaica – Senior parish judge at the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court, Lori-Ann Cole-Montague, on Tuesday offered words of advice to a complainant, who wanted to drop a case against her spouse of three years, who was charged for assaulting her.

The judge told the woman that victims must not victimize themselves, when the woman told the court that she was at fault for the argument that caused her spouse, Andre Bryan, to kick her and slap her in her face.

She said she was in another room talking on her phone “with someone else,” and he noticed, which caused an argument to erupt between the two. But, the woman said they spoke about the issue and they are now on good terms.

“It is clear that both of you have come on some good times recently, but the hitting in the face and such should not happen. Regardless of what [happened] no man should do that to no woman. I can understand you feeling a particular way, but that sort of response is extreme. You have to be careful,” she cautioned.

Turning to the accused, the judge asked him if he had anything to say, to which he said: “I’m sorry about the situation and hitting her. Mi forgive her and she forgive me and we move on from that.”

The case against him was subsequently dropped and he was told he was free to go.

The judge then proceeded to tell the couple that they must live in harmony. She also advised the two to report any serious matter.

“Don’t come back here both of you, and when I said don’t come back here, if something else happens, report it, but this is me saying both of you must live in peace,” the judge said.