co-chairman of the Coalition for the Protection of Children wrongly accused a karate instructor of striking her son during a lesson.

Mrs. Kristina Ingham, chief instructor at the Bermuda Karate Institute on King Street, remains entitled to $530 in legal fees and damages from Mrs. Sheelagh Cooper, the Wor. Will Francis ruled.

Mrs. Ingham brought the action against Mrs. Cooper after the head of Bermuda's anti-child abuse group brought a Police officer to her karate school and accused her of striking seven-year-old William Cooper during karate class.

In the absence of Mrs. Cooper, Mr. Francis accepted Mrs. Ingham's evidence that the "damaging'' allegation was untrue.

Mrs. Cooper had asked that the judgment Mr. Francis made against her last month be set aside. She and her lawyer Mr. Christian Luthi had failed to appear for the trial in Magistrates' Court due to "an oversight'', she said.

Yesterday Mr. Francis said an affidavit from Mr. Luthi explained his absence, but he still did not know why Mrs. Cooper missed court.

"Be that as it may, the real issue before me is whether or not there is a valid defence,'' Mr. Francis said. "I have found on the facts as I've heard them from the plaintiff that the defendant was wreckless and negligent and that her behaviour was quite unjustified, and the plaintiff is therefore entitled to damages.

"Having now heard Mr. Luthi's application, I do not find that Mr. Luthi has put before me anything to say that the defendant contradicts the facts as I have found them.

"There is therefore nothing to warrant the setting aside of this judgment.'' Mrs. Cooper's son attended two karate lessons at Mr. Skipper Ingham's Bermuda Karate Institute. But on July 21, a week after the last class he attended, Mrs. Cooper came to the karate school, accompanied by a Police officer.

"In front of the Policeman, she accused me of striking her child across the face, which I didn't do,'' said Mrs. Ingham, who has been teaching karate for 25 years. "I consulted a lawyer.'' Mr. Luthi said yesterday he was considering an appeal. He did not wish to comment further.

Mr. Mark Pettingill, representing Mrs. Ingham, said "spurious allegations against an instructor can do great harm. I think the judge recognised that.''