KINGSTON, Jamaica — A 34-year-old man will have to spend the next few months behind bars after an argument between himself and a neighbour reportedly turned physical resulting in the woman being badly beaten.

The man, who is employed to a popular call centre in Kingston, and the woman, a hairdresser, reportedly got into a heated argument over garbage that was discarded in a bin they shared.

The court heard that the woman was instructed by the man not to throw garbage in the bin but did not heed the warnings.

On the morning the events unfolded, it is alleged the man proceeded to empty the bin at the woman’s doorway after she disobeyed his instructions another time.

The female complainant said after emerging from her home to find the garbage at her doorstep, she proceeded to place it back in the bin but was confronted by the defendant.

During their heated exchange, the man reportedly used a piece of board to beat the woman all over her body.

Senior Parish Judge Sanchia Burrell, having heard of the young man’s profession, quizzed the defendant on the reason behind his extreme reaction to their dispute. The man revealed that during the argument, the complainant spat on him. But having witnessed the complainant limping into the courtroom, Burrell shared that if that were the case, “spit for spit” should have been the normal reaction.

“She spat on you and you used a piece of board and pulverised her. That was an extreme reaction, don’t you think?” the judge said.

A fingerprint order and a social enquiry report was requested by the judge while a court date was set for October. He was then remanded into custody.

Burrell then expressed that she would be open to a bail application but the defendant would have to find another place to live especially after the complainant revealed that threats were allegedly made by the defendants’ ‘knife-touting’ gunmen alliances.