21-Yr-Old Woman Admits Assault
21-year-old Diana Smith of Southampton appeared in Court today [Mar.1], answering a charge of unlawfully assaulting another woman. At the time of the offence, both women were employed at a supermarket.
Ms Smith pleaded guilty to the charge. The facts read out by the Prosecutor were that she had slapped the other woman on 9th February 2012. The slap followed a short altercation between the two women in which the complainant pulled at Ms Smith’s jacket.
The Magistrate asked Ms Smith if she thought that she had “ … the right to hit her?”. Ms Smith replied “Yes.”
Duty Counsel Leopold Mills submitted that Ms Smith felt aggrieved that the complainant had been spreading unsavoury rumours about her brother and her father.
Mr Mills submittted that Ms Smith was a first time offender and had pleaded guilty. Mr Mills recommended that a Social Inquiry Report [SIR] should be prepared and should be referred to before sentence was passed.
The Senior Magistrate then ordered a SIR set 18 April as the sentencing date, and granted bail of $2,000 with a requirement for a Surety in the same amount.
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if Miss Smith felt she had the right to hit her…imagine what else she feels the right to do which maybe another assault with someone else. There are rumors spread all the time in Bermuda…imagine how many people would be hit. Get over it and move on.
Now, now. When trash truck “man” slapped that lil girl it was okay cause she said something to him, so if ol’ girl was talking about this girls brother and father she’s within her rights to slap her. At least according to the posters on bernews and royal gazette.
@amen
I would argue that the sanitation worker was being subjected to a prolonged, persistent, and increasingly aggravated verbal assault by that horrendously rude student who knew without question that her actions were well beyond the bounds of acceptable behaviour in this society; at 16 years old she does know better. I don’t recall if I commented on that story but I do not believe that man should have been fired as a result of him giving her a full ringing slap in her potty mouth. The law is the law and we must conform to it or set about to reform it if we believe it unjust. The law fined him and it was paid by a section of community in an act of solidarity as we disagreed with the application of the law to this particular situation.
In the case above, some rumours are being spread and someone believes they know the source. This is a completely different scenario to the potty mouthed girl and the sanitation worker. One adult initiated an assault on another and which resulted in an exchange of blows (slaps?). In this case the community has no issue with the application of the law and so there is no outcry.
Notice that in both instances that the initiator of the physical assault has been brought before the courts. The judicial system has treated both cases equally. That is all we can control. Public sentiment will be what it is and will change from case to case. However, as long as we have an impartial judicial system all cases will be treated the same in the courts and that is what really counts.
Man slapping a teen for a potty mouth: acceptable to the community.
Woman slapping another woman for spreading a rumour: not acceptable to the community.
That is where we are today. Perhaps as a result of highlighting the comparison of these cases the community’s views will change. I doubt it.
Ride
This can’t be serious?