A man accused of attacking a Police officer was jailed for two years in Supreme Court on Friday.

Burnell Howard Wentworth Cross had claimed he was acting in self defence when he hit Det.Con. Terry-Lynn Williams several times with a stick.

She had been called out after neighbours complained about smoke coming from a bonfire at Cross' wife's property off Radnor Road, Hamilton parish on September 26 last year.

Cross said the officer had beaten him and then driven him back 50 feet but he also admitted telling Police officers later that she was lucky he had not killed her and using the words 'No woman can come on my yard and tell me to put out my fire. Stupid bitch, I had a stick".

Det. Con. Williams said Cross had taken a shovel off her when she started using it to douse the fire and then picked up a tree branch and swung it at her head.

She suffered arm and chest injuries as she tried to protect herself. She then hit him with her baton but suffered another blow when she was distracted by building workers who ran to her aid and eventually overpowered Cross.

Cross, 59, of Scott's Hill Road, Sandys, denied grievous bodily harm with intent and the jury found him not guilty by a ten to two majority but he was found guilty on an alternative charge of wounding with intent by the same majority.

Det. Con. Williams said she was still suffering from the effects of the attack which has harmed her sports activities for the national softball team.

In February 2000 Cross was jailed for three months after he held a knife to the throat of an American tourist and threatened to cut his jugular because he had accidentally bumped his taxi door while getting out of another taxi.

Four months later he was given a conditional discharge after being found guilty of threatening to chop up his neighbour in Radnor Road.