A man accused of abusing his daughter

Garnett Dockery became overcome with emotion as he recounted the events that took place between him and his 23-year-old daughter, which led to his appearance in court after she accused him of physical assault.

Dockery appeared before Presiding Judge Natiesha Fairclough-Hylton at St James Parish Court last Wednesday, pleading guilty and giving pleas to assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

The incident reportedly took place on September 26 at around 6.50pm when Dockery and the complainant were at a house in the King Gate area of ​​St James.

According to court documents, the complainant went to the kitchen to prepare a meal, returned to her room and locked the door.

While she was in the room, the defendant knocked on the door, entered and knocked her meal onto the bed. He then punched her in the face and then pulled her hair.

She asked, “What did I do? Why are you doing this to me?”

She then ran into the living room, he chased her and punched her in the head, causing her to fall, then stomped on her and kicked her in the stomach.

The court also heard Dockery went into the kitchen and returned with a machete.

Fearing for her life, the appellant ran out of the house and Dockery closed the door and left her on the porch.

She eventually moved out of the house and moved in with another relative.

Dockery, who posed as a stroke patient, made numerous complaints about his daughter, including telling the judge that she only ate, smoked and drank.

“I actually knocked the plate out of her hand and she grabbed me and wrapped me up… She ripped my shirt off and kicked her, so I pushed her onto the bed and started punching her because I felt like I was dealing with a monster. I had to do it; I had no choice. She struggled and kicked, so I grabbed her by the hair, pulled her, and pushed her out into the hallway and onto the porch. “At that point she started screaming, ‘Murder, murder, murder, b*#@$ man,’ so I locked the door,” the defendant told the court.

He testified that the complainant kicked the door so hard that it separated from the hinges and the door had not yet been repaired.

The accused father later filed a report about the incident with the Anchovy police; however, they failed to find the complainant.

Dockery’s bail has been extended until November 6, when a cross-examination is expected to be presented in court.

A man sentenced to a suspended prison sentence for assaulting a municipal officer

A man accused of assaulting a council officer was given a two-year suspended sentence when he appeared before St James Parish Court last Wednesday.

Tafari Reid pleaded guilty to common law assault and assault before Presiding Judge Natiesha Fairclough-Hylton.

Court documents state that on September 16, at approximately 12:42 p.m., the complainant was performing metered parking duties on Lower Union Street in Montego Bay when he noticed the defendant’s stroller parked in a restricted area. Despite the driver’s attempt to park, Reid refused to leave the restricted area.

As the officer was about to grab defendant’s wheelchair, defendant pushed him and brandished a ratchet knife before approaching the officer. To deter the accused, the officers had to use pepper spray.

Reid fled, returned with a knife and made a second attempt to attack the officer. However, the officer managed to pick up an object from the cart and throw it at the defendant, hitting him in the chest, without causing any injuries.

The matter was reported to the police and after being advised, Reid said: “Officer, tell me the truth and I will go to court and have the matter heard.”

Passing sentence, the judge said: “Mr Reid, you will cooperate with probation officers for the next two years. They will teach you how to deal with anger and how you can make a positive contribution to society. I’m also warning you that if you come back before me, you won’t like it.