MONTEGO BAY, St James — A man accused of throwing hot tea on a policeman and stabbing another man in separate incidents was granted bail in the amount of $150,000 when he appeared in the St James Parish Court on Wednesday.

The accused, Ryan Smart, 31, who is charged with common assault and unlawful wounding, was offered bail when he appeared before Parish Judge Sasha-Marie Smith-Ashley.

The stabbing incident reportedly took place in Granville, St James, on October 8, 2023.

Allegations are that Smart and the complainant got into an argument during which Smart bit the complainant and stabbed him in the back with a knife.

“Why did you do it?” Smith-Ashley asked.

“Based on what he did,” Smart replied.

When the judge asked the accused what the complainant had done, Smart explained that he had caused the problem by throwing a stone at him.

Concerning the officer’s case, it is alleged that on October 17, Smart, then an inmate at the Freeport lock-up, threw food all over the cells. The officer then approached and admonished him.

Smart then threw a cup of hot tea at the officer and said, “I want to go to my yard”.

When he was given the chance to speak on Wednesday, Smart told the court that it was all a misunderstanding and that he did not see the officer when he threw the tea.

The judge subsequently granted him bail in the sum of $150,000 and ordered a social enquiry report.

“Sir, I cannot sentence you today…I have to know what the community has to say about you,” Smith-Ashley told Smart before deferring sentencing until December 15.