A sister’s compassion yesterday resulted in a youth being spared possible incarceration for assault.
Dodstin Clarke, 19, who was charged with stomping his sister to her abdomen after an argument over a phone charger, got a second chance yesterday after the tearful young woman told Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan that she no longer wanted to proceed with the complaint against her brother.
With tears streaming down her face, the sister stated that at the end of the day the young man was her brother and she just wanted him to apologise for what he had done.
When asked if he would apologise, Clarke stated yes. He then told his sister, “Ah sorry mi big sister fa doin wah ah did to you and ah promise to never disrespect you like duh again. Ah really sorry.”
This apology was accepted by the teen’s sister and by the court.
The charge against Clarke had stated that he assaulted his sister so as to cause her actual bodily harm. The man denied the allegation.
According to police prosecutor Gordon Mansfield, on the day in question, the brother and sister had a heated argument over a phone charger. Clarke then became annoyed and allegedly stomped his sister in the region of her abdomen. The matter was then reported by the sister to the Agricola Police Outpost.
Although the charge was dismissed, Clarke was placed under the supervision of a probation officer. Failure to attend the sessions may result in his arrest if a valid reason is not provided.
