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A Dickson man, fed up of being spat at by another villager, took matters into his hand on Saturday and beat his aggravator.

For this, the man, Lesmond Franklyn, and another villager, Keron Franklyn, found themselves in court charged with assault causing actually bodily harm and possession of an unlicensed firearm.

Both men pleaded not guilty to the firearm charge when they appeared before Chief Magistrate Rechanne Browne-Matthias in Kingstown on Tuesday.

However, Lesmond pleaded guilty to the assault charge.

In presenting the facts, the prosecution told the court that last Saturday, Oct. 7, about 6 p.m., the virtual complainant, Stephenson James, also of Dickson, was walking on the public road in the community.

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James hawked and spat close to where Lesmond was standing.

Lesmond then pursued James and began to beat him about the upper body.

The court heard that Lesmond took out what appeared to be a black handgun and struck James to the back of his head.

In his defence, Lesmond told the court that James always does him “stuff” and is in the habit of spitting every time he sees him.

He told the court that on that day, some of James’ saliva went on him, triggering the reaction.

Lesmond told the court that he was raised by old people and was told that someone spitting at another could cause the person spat at to be blighted.

“He always blighting me,” Lesmond told the court, adding that what he actually took out was a pair of scissors and not a handgun.

The magistrate, having heard the man’s explanation, responded, “I don’t like that.

“The VC’s actions were quite offensive and quite nasty,” she further said, noting that James actually spat on Lesmond.

“That is horrific. I hate it. I don’t know if I could have controlled myself,” she said, noting that the facts of the police included an admission by James that he had hawked and spat near Lesmond.

“That is horrific,” the magistrate reiterated and told the man she was reprimanding and discharging him.

“Go and sin no more,” she told the man.

Senior Prosecutor Adolphus Delplesche told Lesmond that he should not bother with talks that being spat at could cause one to be blighted.

“It is insulting,” he said.

“And don’t get yourself in trouble,” he further told Lesmond.

The prosecution withdrew the firearm possession charges against both accused and also withdrew the assault charge against Keron.