KINGSTON, Jamaica — A primary school teacher who damaged a student’s eye was last week freed in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate’s Court.
Patricia Perry was set free after the court ruled that there was no evidence that she deliberately hit the child in the eye.
Perry was freed by Magistrate Grace Henry-McKenzie, who, with her decision, upheld a no-case submission by attorney Christopher Townsend.
Carlene Clarke, the mother of complainant Tajoery Small, told OBSERVER ONLINE that she’s disappointed with the ruling. She plans to file action in the Supreme Court to recover damages arising out of the incident.
In September 2012, the then 12-year-old Small, testified that on December 1, 2009, he was struck in the eye with the metal tip of a belt that Perry was using to beat another student who was complaining over food.
Small, a student at New Providence Primary School, in St Andrew, at the time of the incident, testified that he was sitting at the front of the class when he was struck in the eye.
Perry told the students to take him to the pipe to wash off his face, the youth testified then. He said a teacher took him to a doctor’s office, then to the Bustamante Hospital for Children where he underwent surgery. He said he also did two surgeries overseas and that he doesn’t see as well with the left eye.
Perry was being tried on a charge of physically abusing a child under the Child Care and Protection Act.
Maybe not intentional but she’s definitely responsible for his pain n suffering.
Wait… What?? Why is she “beating” a child for complaining over food and she mussi did a wheel di belt fi it ketch him in a him yeye this is beyond sad
This is madness. Ok,she didn’t intend to hurt him, but she absolutely intended to hurt the child who was the target of her ire. She’s still culpable.
Accident or not if you mek my son have one eye you aguh have one eye to I gave birth to a perfectly normal child now you an yuh man law wa cum tell mi shit please mis me with dat an eye for a eye!!!
Di magistrate free har, but she need fi accept responsibility. Ah hope har conscience ride har nonstop.