A St. Ann businesswoman was forced to leave the home she shared with her common-law husband last month because of severe beatings.

According to the woman, she left because she did not want to go to prison for murder.

The woman said: "We used to live together for 10 years and for the last three years, I notice he has become very aggressive towards me."

"He drinks a lot and when he comes home he is always picking quarrel with me and when I answer him, he starts hitting me in my head and all over my body.

"I try to defend myself but he gets the better of the fight. One night I boiled water to throw on him while he was sleeping but but my friends persuaded me not to do it.

"We bought land in St. Ann and built a three-bedroom house on the land. Now that I have moved from the house, I hear he is going around telling people in the community that he is going to sell the house and go abroad and he is not going to give me any of the money.

"My name is also on the title. Do you think he can really sell the property behind my back?"

You should consult a lawyer in the matter so he can lodge a caveat at the Office of the Registrar of Titles. The caveat will bar him from conducting transactions in relation to the property without your consent.