Girl, 17, remanded, woman on bail after garbage fracas

Acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson yesterday ordered that a 17-year-old girl be remanded to prison after she allegedly dealt a woman a blow to her head with a piece of wood which resulted in her being hospitalised.

The teen, Lashawna Henry, pleaded not guilty to the charges of abusive language and malicious wounding, while 38-year-old Michelle Hector, the woman whom she allegedly injured, pleaded not guilty to the charges of abusive language and assault. It is alleged that on July 20, Hector and Henry both used abusive language towards each other.

Henry denied that on the same day she unlawfully and maliciously wounded Hector with intent to cause her grievous bodily harm.

Hector denied that she unlawfully assaulted Henry so as to cause her actual bodily harm.

Henry stated that on the day in question she was just inquiring what her brother and Hector were arguing about when Hector threw a bucket of soap water on her.

She said that she snatched the bucket from Hector and dealt her a blow to her head which resulted in her sustaining an injury.

However, Hector stated that the incident came about when she paid Henry’s brother in advance to take out her garbage but requested her money  back when someone else came to do it for her.

She said that they soon got into an argument and  not long after Henry ran into her yard with a piece of wood which she used to hit her to the head.

She noted that Henry was attempting to deal her another blow but  her son chased her out of their yard.

She said she received fifteen stitches to the wound that she sustained to her head.

The magistrate placed Hector on self-bail for her charges while she placed Henry on $10,000 for the abusive language charge but ordered that she be remanded to prison for the wounding charge which means that she would not be released from prison if she is granted bail for the wounding charge.

Hector and Henry are expected to make another court appearance in Court Ten on August 13.