Christopher Thomas, STAR Writer

WESTERN BUREAU:

A Montego Bay man, accused of chopping his neighbour during a quarrel over a poisoned dog, will be tried in the Montego Bay Resident Magistrate's Court on March 26 next year.

Anthony Dryden of Providence Heights pleaded guilty with explanation to unlawful wounding committed against Mark Powell. However, his plea was changed when he explained.

Allegations said he chopped Powell on the shoulder with a machete on September 2. Dryden told Resident Magistrate Sandria Wong-Small that he had been trimming his hedges on the day of the incident when he saw the dog.

poison

"With all respect, I was trimming hedges and afterwards I came outside and saw a dog, and he was foaming froth," said Dryden. "I called my son and then I saw a little boy with a rope; I asked him if it was his dog, and he said yes,"

It was at that point, he said, Powell came and accused him of poisoning the dog.

"The man start carry on and saying oonu kill mi dog and we rushed into a neighbour's yard," added Dryden. "That's where, I guess, him get the cut and him tell police say me chop him."

Powell sharply disputed this. "Him not telling the truth," he said. "Him just coming here to waste time."

"Sir, if what you are telling me is true, then that is not a proper plea of guilty," RM Wong-Small advised Dryden, as she altered his plea.