Acting Superintendent Coleridge Minto, head of the St. Elizabeth Police Division is urging citizens to seek professional help in resolving domestic disputes in a peaceful manner through available resources. This appeal comes of the heels of two men being criminally charged following separate domestic disputes in the parish.
On Sunday, January 21 about 3:00 p.m., 33-year-old Davian Williams otherwise called ‘Lucky’, of Burnt Savannah District, reportedly used a glass bottle to inflict a wound to a female family member during a dispute at their home. He was subsequently arrested and charged with Unlawful Wounding.
Andre Francis, a 43-year-old Security Guard of Burton District, Lacovia was charged with Assault Occasioning Grievous Bodily Harm stemming from an incident involving a family member at their home on Friday, January 26.
Reports are that about 4:45 p.m., Francis and a female family member were at home when an argument developed between them. The dispute became physical, during which, Francis held the woman by her neck and struck her several times all over her body. A report was made to the police and Francis promptly arrested and charged.
As their court dates are being arranged, Minto is appealing to residents to seek professional help before disputes escalate. “We are seeing a surge in assault cases resulting from disputes within families. As a result, I am using this opportunity to urge residents can seek help through the Jamaica Constabulary Force’s (JCF) Domestic Violence Intervention Centres, we have one located here in Santa Cruz or from Restorative Justice within the Ministry of Justice (MOJ)”, he said.
