The Tribune

By PAVEL BAILEY

A MAN was fined on Thursday for assaulting his uncle with a hammer.

Hollie Ferguson, 39, of Taylor Street, appeared before Senior Magistrate Samuel McKinney on separate charges of assault with a dangerous instrument and causing harm.

On April 12 Ferguson allegedly assaulted his uncle, Curtis Taylor, at their residence with a hammer. On the same day he is also accused of causing harm to Joseph Higgs.

In court the accused pleaded guilty to both charges with an explanation as to why he assaulted his uncle.

Ferguson said he had got into an argument with Mr Taylor about cleaning their yard and that in the heat of the moment his uncle came at him with a hammer.

The accused said he grabbed the hammer from his uncle and proceeded to hit his uncle multiple times with the hammer in his ribs and across the body.

Ferguson told the court that he never meant to hurt his uncle and that he had admitted to the offence in a subsequent police interview.

Magistrate McKinney fined him $500 for the assault charge, or in default, six months in prison. Ferguson was also ordered to pay his uncle $500 compensation for the attack or spend one month in prison.

For the separate charge of causing harm to Joseph Higgs, Ferguson is expected to pay the virtual complainant in that matter $200 or risk one month in prison.