An altercation between a woman and her child's father resulted in the man being fined $10,000 or six months imprisonment yesterday in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court.

Charged with assault occasioning bodily harm is Howard Ellis who also entered a guilty plea while offering the court an explanation.

According to the accused, it was the complainant who hit him first.

He said, "Your honour I hit her because she start to hit me first".

The court was told that Ellis used a level to hit the complainant repeatedly.

Senior Resident Magistrate Judith Pusey asked the accused, "Oh so you used a level to level her out?".

In his reply he said, "Your honour a she first enuh... she come home from work miserable one day and see mi a lay down and just start on me!"

A fingerprint order was also made against Ellis after the fine was imposed.