A husband and wife recently blamed tensions over their daughter’s impending nuptials as the reason they ended up in court charged with assaulting each other.
John Bentham, 48, and his wife, Jennifer, 37, who pleaded guilty when they appear-ed before Magistrate Ann McLennan at the Christianburg Magistrates Court last Wednesday, escaped prison sentences. The Benthams, of South Amelia’s Ward, Linden, who were each charged with assaulting each other on Saturday, May 25, did not get off without reprimand by the magistrate, who also placed them on a bond to keep the peace, failing which they would be imprisoned.
The court heard that Jennifer, a day care teacher, kicked her husband, who retaliated by pushing and head butting her.
The magistrate asked who started the fight and Inspector Oswald Pitt said it started with John pulling a bowl of five-finger (carambola) from his wife and throwing it away.
Inspector Pitt added that Jennifer tried throwing out John’s clothes and when he tried to stop her, she kicked him. Inspector Pitt said that John retaliated by shoving and head-butting his wife. The magistrate was also informed that both parties reported the matter to the police; Jennifer first, trailed by her husband.
As Magistrate McLennan began scolding the couple about their unbecoming and poor behaviour, particularly as examples to their daughter who is expected to be married in July, John said that he and his wife enjoy a generally good marriage with not many problems.
He said their tempers must have flared because they are stressed out about the wedding.
Magistrate McLennan placed both parties on a bond to keep the peace for 12 months.
Failing to keep the bond would bring an eight-month prison sentence.
