Silence struck the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday, when it was heard that a grandmother chopped a eight-year-old girl on her wrist bone, damaging her tendons.

Recovery, the court heard, may take some six weeks.

The grandmother, from Kingston, chopped the youngster who used money she was instructed to hand over to her teacher.

The grandmother's daughter was also implicated in that matter, being accused of abusing the child.

While the daughter is said to have beaten the child for a previous 'offence'.

It is alleged that on September 26, the grandmother discovered that the child did not deliver the money as instructed, and scolded her. It is said that she took the youngster's hand, placed it on a table and started poking at it with a knife.

The frightened child moved her hand and was caught by the knife's blade. The grandmother is charged with cruelty to a child, while the daughter was charged with wounding with intent.

Regrettable accident

The grandmother's attorney told the court that matter was a regrettable accident, for which his client was deeply sorry. He said his client did not realise she had cut the child initially because she suffered from "poor eyesight". However, she got her medical attention as soon as she realised.

He said that she was not the child's biological grandmother, but was a guardian and continued to look after the child even while she is in the hospital.

The grandmother was granted $30,000 bail with surety while the daughter's bail was extended. Senior Resident Magistrate Glen Brown ruled that the matter return to court November 17.