Woman assaulted in church

According to reports, at around 8.50 am, the victim of Carenage, was in the church with a female relative when a woman known to them entered the church compound, walked up to the victim and began pushing her against a wall. According to reports, the aggressor began shouting, “you see the colour of my skin, I am a white woman” and then proceeded to slap the victim four times in her face. While this was taking place, Fr Ashton Pierre who was preparing for Mass intervened and attempted to restrain the enraged woman from proceeding further with her assault. Fr Pierre reportedly told the suspect to desist from her actions or he would call the police. Newsday understands that the enraged woman told Fr Pierre she was not leaving then sat at the back of the church and participated in the mass.

At the end of the mass, the woman again attempted to attack the victim, but was again warned by Fr Pierre who then instructed that he was alerting security. At 10.45 am, the victim and her relative went to the St Clair Police Station and reported the matter. The police accompanied the victim to the victim to the home of the suspect in Maraval.

According to reports the suspect refused to open her door when the police arrived but was warned to desist from any further assault.

The victim was then advised to seek medical attention and went to St James Infirmary where she secured a medical report. Yesterday the victim who spoke with Newsday said that the incident has left her shaken up and embarrassed.

However, she has already instructed her attorney to proceed with action against the suspect.

Yesterday she told Newsday that she met with Fr Pierre and they spoke for about two hours about the entire incident and she advised Fr Pierre that the police will be seeking a statement from him and he indicated that he was willing to cooperate. The victim said that she had been a parishioner for many many years and she never expected that an assault would have taken place in the house of the Lord but she is ready to do what ever action is needed to prevent the suspect from causing her any further injury.“ I was in shock so I could not think”, but thank God I am a strong and praying woman, said the victim yesterday. Attempts to reach Father Pierre on the matter proved futile.