Christopher Thomas, STAR Writer

WESTERN BUREAU:

A Montego Bay fisherman who used a knife to puncture another man's car tyre for not paying for his fish must pay back more than the fish's cost on June 24.

Rodroy Salmon, 40, pleaded guilty with explanation to malicious destruction of property before the Montego Bay Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday.

Salmon told Resident Magistrate (RM) Carolyn Tai that sometime last month, Fabian Jones had bought $500 worth of fish from him, then asked for five minutes to get the money for payment but left and did not return.

He explained that a month later, he saw the complainant and confronted him. According to Salmon, Jones attempted to drive away, following which the fisherman used a knife to slash one of the complainant's tyres.

"How much do you think his tyre costs?" the judge asked.

"He (Jones) said $7,000," Salmon acknowledged.

"What you did made no sense because you have put yourself in a worse position. Under no circumstance should you have burst his tyre," RM Tai scolded the accused.

Salmon is to return to court on June 24 for sentencing, and he is to bring $7,000 to repay Jones on that date. He was also ordered to submit his fingerprints to the police.