Women hit each other with rum bottles in bloody fight

Two partygoers who hit each other in the head with empty rum bottles had their matter referred to mediation yesterday when they appeared in the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court.

Peta- Gay Jones and Rochelle Mercy pleaded guilty to unlawful wounding following the May 1 incident which occurred at an event on Mannings Hill Road in St Andrew. Jones reportedly used a bottle to hit Mercy in the head. Jones then took up the broken shards of glass and proceeded to inflict stab wounds on Mercy’s left arm, right shoulder, over her right eye and another in her forehead. It was further reported that Mercy also hit Jones on the head using a bottle. Senior Parish Judge LoriAnne Cole-Montaque was curious as to how the fight started.

“The rain was dewing so everybody was at the same point. I wanted to use the bathroom and I ran through the crowd. If I bounce her, it was not intentional,” she said.

“So you think it’s possible that you may have bounced her?” the judge asked, to which Jones responded: “Correct Your Honour.”

Jones said that upon returning from the bathroom, she was pushed in the back by Mercy who followed up by hitting her with the bottle. Mercy said that Jones pushed her twice while going to the bathroom. Cole-Montaque asked her to demonstrate how, which she did with the assistance of a police officer in the court. Mercy said that after questioning why she was bumped, Jones pushed her.

“When she shub me, I almost fall on the ground and I ease back to turn around and ask her what was the issue. By time me turn round, she box me in the face, so I slapped her back,” Mercy said. The judge expressed surprise that one bump caused the altercation.

“Nobody should bounce anybody but I think it is a given that when you are at a party, it is possible that you will be bounced.

Ladies, it sounds so simple for it to have escalated to the point of bottle and cut and all kind of something. You’re better than that,” she said.

When asked how they intended to resolve the matter, Jones wished for the matter to be disposed of immediately as she had no time to spare as she was a young entrepreneur. However, Mercy indicated that she is seeking compensation as she missed the starting date of her job as a customer care representative. Cole-Montaque referred the matter to mediation. The women are to return to court on July 20.