A 30-year-old, self-employed woman has been bonded for assaulting her son’s teacher.
“Don’t act in anger, you have children,” Magistrate Kaywana Jacobs told the woman, Zonel Joseph, a hairdresser, as she handed down the sentence on Thursday at the Colonarie Magistrate’s Court, sitting at Georgetown.
“Your future can look different if you consider the consequences,” Jacobs further said.
Joseph, who represented herself, had initially pleaded not guilty to charges that on Oct. 6, 2025, at Colonarie, in a public place, she had in her possession an offensive weapon, to wit, a pair of scissors and that she assaulted Alicia Williams, also of Colonarie, with the intent to commit wounding.
The accused woman changed her plea on Thursday, when counsel Nicholas Providence represented her.
The facts presented by the prosecutor, Inspector of Police Corlene Samuel, are that both parties were friends who grew up in the same community.
However, their relationship became strained when Williams began teaching Joseph’s son.
On the date of the incident, about 4 p.m., Williams was at a friend’s house when she saw Joseph walking with Joseph’s son.
Williams heard Joseph say, “Don’t hit or touch my child again.”
Joseph was cursing about an incident at school where Williams had to discipline her son.
Williams responded and both women began arguing.
Williams was close to a wall and Joseph walked up to her, retrieved a small green-handle pair of scissors and told Williams that she was going to stab her.
Williams moved from the wall and reported the matter to the police.
In his submission to the court, the lawyer said Joseph originally pleaded not guilty because she lacked proper guidance.
Providence argued that the offences were not serious, although, in hindsight, they could have been.
He said his client was remorseful and was also frustrated at the time, having experienced a medical ordeal in July.
He asked the court for “utmost mercy” when determining a sentence.
Meanwhile, Samuel said the prosecutor was not asking for a custodial sentence.
She informed the court that Joseph was jailed for a similar offence in 2020.
“Put her on a bond so she will know that something is hanging over her head,” the prosecutor said.
The magistrate said it seemed that Joseph had anger issues and needed redirection.
For the assault charge, the magistrate bonded Joseph for 12 months in the sum of EC$1,000. If she breaches the bond, she must pay the amount forthwith or serve a nine-month prison sentence.
On the offensive weapon charge, she fined Joseph EC$900 to be paid by July 13 or three months in prison.
In 2020, Joseph was jailed for a year after being found guilty of stabbing her children’s uncle in the eye.
