Man assaults cousin over parking spot

Senior Parish Judge LoriAnne Cole-Montaque condemned the actions of a Corporate Area man who confessed to grabbing his cousin by the throat after they had a dispute over parking spots.

“I know that some people are indisciplined and that sort of thing but we can’t have a society where people just a tek people by the throat because there is some parking problem. We cannot have a society where if something goes awry, then a next man just go and haul him by him throat. My goodness what would you do to me, if this is your cousin?” she asked.

She was referring to Javon Graham who pleaded guilty to unlawful wounding in the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court yesterday. The court heard that a dispute ensued between Graham and the complainant in the vicinity of Coronation Market in downtown Kingston. Graham attacked the complainant from behind, held on to his neck, and then used a bottle to inflict wounds to the back of his head. Graham explained to Cole-Montaque that the argument started because the complainant parked in front of his stall, hindering his ability to make a sale. This hindrance, he said, led to him confronting the complainant who he held by the throat.

“So you hold him by the throat? Look here, out at Coronation Market you have Denham Town police, you have police round the place. What a way you big and bad. You hold the man by his throat? That takes some doing you know. You big and bad fi true,” the shocked judge said.

The complainant indicated to the court that he does not want to receive compensation from Graham and asked the judge that the matter be disposed of as they were cousins. Graham was made the subject of a probation order for a year.