WESTERN BUREAU:

A St James man who used stones to hit his father on the chest and hand during a dispute was sentenced to 100 hours of community service on Friday.

Dwayne Blake, 19, of Flanker in Montego Bay, was previously before the Montego Bay Resident Magistrate's Court for assault occasioning actual bodily harm against Alexander Blake on Wednesday, August 29. He pleaded guilty to the charge and was remanded until a sentencing recommendation could be made for him.

The facts are that on August 12, the father and son got involved in an argument, during which the younger Blake threw stones at his father. The complainant was hit on his chest and hand and suffered injuries as a result.

"Young man, don't you go to church? You don't have any right to throw stones at him (complainant), for he is your father," Resident Magistrate Vivienne Harris sharply rebuked the defendant when the case was called up on Friday.

"Even if you were in an argument, you must learn to have respect for your elders," the judge continued.

"Your Honour, I want a restraining order against him," the elder Blake spoke up.

"You don't need a restraining order. He is at the age when you can put him out," the judge replied.

Blake was subsequently sentenced to perform 100 hours of community service at the Flanker Primary and Junior High School in the community.

"If you don't do the community service, you are going to prison. You need to go and work," RM Harris warned the defendant as she handed down the sentence.