Barbara Gayle, Staff Reporter

A judge, in putting a pregnant 16-year-old schoolgirl on probation for throwing acid on five young children and two adults, saw the need for her to attend church and ordered her to do so.

Justice Patrick Brooks, in sentencing the teenager who is about four months pregnant, placed her on probation for two years, during which time she will be supervised by probation officers.

The judge ordered her to attend the Women's Crisis Centre until the baby was born. She has also been ordered to attend weekly church services at the Cross Roads Seventh-Day Adventist Church.

Reside with grandmother

One of the conditions under which she was granted probation was that she must reside with her grandmother for the next two years.

The teenager was charged with causing grievous bodily harm with intent. But in July, she pleaded guilty to the lesser offence of inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent. Sentencing was put off until yesterday in the Home Circuit Court.

The acid attack took place at Torrington Park, near Cross Roads, Kingston 5.

The facts of the case, as outlined by prosecutor Sasha Smith, are that on May 4, one of the adult complainants, Erica Gordon, went to speak to the accused about certain comments she had made about her daughter.

A fight ensued and residents in the area parted them. About 10 minutes later, the accused went to Gordon's house where she and her family members were and threw a corrosive substance on them.

Attorney-at-law Charles Williams, who represented the teenager, told the court she was stabbed during the fight.

barbara.gayle@gleanerjm.com