St Andrew security guard freed after pressing charges against complainant

Eyebrows were raised in the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court on Tuesday after an assault trial was halted by a judge to allow the accused to file a police report against the complainant.

Seaview Gardens, St Andrew security guard Joel Williams was on trial for assaulting his former girlfriend during a clash between the two and another woman.

Williams was accused of beating the complainant who was his ex-lover after she caught him leaving a hotel with the woman in January this year.

Williams said in court on February 12 that the incident was like a movie scene.
He said the complainant jumped through the driver's window of his car and scratched the other woman.

He was subsequently charged and the matter was put to trial.

During the proceedings yesterday, Williams' attorney Able-Don Foote pointed out that the complainant had made an admission of a criminal offence in her statement to the police and ought to be charged.

Foote argued that a foul plot was being hatched against his client because the woman was the aggressor and Williams acted in self defence.

The complainant insisted that the case should be tried.

Foote then applied for the case to be stood down so that Williams could make a formal complaint to the police so that the complainant could be charged.

The application was allowed.

After Williams made a report at the Half-Way-Tree Police Station, the trial resumed.

On the resumption, the complainant said she did not wish to pursue the matter any further.

Williams was then freed by the court.

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