Underwear set on fire

Thirteen boxers felt a woman’s fiery wrath last Saturday when she found another woman sitting in her boyfriend’s home and he refused to give an explanation.

Melissa Cooke, of 1st Avenue Rockley, Christ Church had been in an intimate relationship with Kashta Browne for about a year. Recently however, they had been going through some problems as she had accused him of bringing other women into his house.

On August 31 Cooke went to the house to find another woman sitting in Browne’s living room which resulted in a verbal altercation between the accused and the complainant.
The other woman left during that time, Sergeant Kevin Forde said as he read the police report.

Cooke subsequently left but returned and confronted Browne who ignored her and according to the prosecutor “laughed at her”. She became angry and grabbed him by his shirt and tugged resulting in both of them falling – him on top her even as she maintained a tight grip. This resulted in him grabbing a nearby plastic dumbbell [weight] and striking her which made her release him. Cooke, the police said, then went into the man’s bedroom took his boxers from a drawer, went outside and lit them on fire.

She pleaded guilty in the District ‘A’ Traffic Court to assaulting him and criminal damage involving the 13 undergarments which cost $130.

After hearing the facts Magistrate Graveney Bannister ordered that Cooke repay for the boxers on the criminal damage charge. She must also perform 120 hours community service on the assault charge which must be completed by January 31, 2020. She will be reprimanded and discharged once it is completed successfully.

In the meantime Cooke, who was represented by attorney-at-law Mohia Ma’at, was granted $500 bail with a stern warning to stay away from Browne.