Court orders restorative justice for St James councillor charged with assaulting ex
Published:Thursday | July 13, 2023 | 12:10 AM
WESTERN BUREAU:
THE ST James Parish Court has ordered Councillor David Brown, the councillor for the St James Municipal Corporation’s [StJMC] Montego Bay West division, to attend restorative justice sessions with his ex-girlfriend, who he reportedly assaulted in May.
The sessions, the court ordered, are to take place ahead of his next court date on September 4.
Brown, who did not have an attorney, was given the return date by presiding judge Sasha-Marie Ashley when he appeared in court yesterday to answer to the charges of assault occasioning bodily harm and malicious destruction of property.
The allegations against the councillor are that on May 28 this year, the female complainant, with whom Brown was in a relationship, was sitting in her car when Brown knocked on the vehicle’s window.
The two got into a dispute, during which Brown hit the complainant in her face, causing pain and swelling, and also damaged her car window.
It has also been reported that the complainant is a relative of a prominent political representative.
“Were you in a relationship?” Judge Ashley asked Brown during yesterday’s brief court proceedings.
“Yes, your honour,” Brown answered calmly, adding that he and the complainant are no longer involved.
“What are you saying to the charges?” Ashley inquired.
“I am not guilty,” Brown said firmly.
Meanwhile, attorney Martyn Thomas, who is watching the proceedings on the complainant’s behalf, suggested that the underlying issues between Brown and the complainant could be resolved through mediation.
The court was also told that both parties were willing to undergo mediation sessions.
Judge Ashley subsequently made an order for the parties to attend restorative justice sessions ahead of September 4, when the matter will again be mentioned.
Previous brushes with law
Brown had previously run afoul of the law in 2018 in relation to an outstanding warrant from the St James Family Court concerning a matter with the mother of his child, and also for allegedly hitting a 65-year-old man with his licensed firearm on August 3 that year. Brown spent five days in police custody before eventually being released.
The assault case was discontinued in 2019 after the complainant indicated that he did not wish to proceed any further against Brown.
Prior to his August 2018 arrest, Brown came under fire for reportedly verbally abusing a woman on social media in March 2018. At that time, the StJMC’s minority caucus of the People’s National Party served notice that they would bring a motion to have Brown suspended for his alleged actions.
Brown’s latest court appearance also raises parallels to similar allegations which were brought against Westmoreland Central Member of Parliament George Wright in 2021. Those allegations arose from controversy over a video which showed a man, purported to be Wright, hitting a woman with his fists and a stool.
Wright and his partner, Tannisha Singh, had reported a confrontation on April 6, 2021 that coincided with the video which went viral days later, although Wright never confirmed or denied the allegations against him. The police’s investigation eventually ended after the two parties refused to cooperate with the authorities.