claimed it was in self defence.

Yesterday Tamisha Rafara Williams, of North Shore Road, Pembroke, was charged with unlawfully wounding Bervin Mills in January.

But Magistrates' Court was told that Mills has also been charged with assaulting Williams. But he pleaded not guilty in court last week.

Prosecuting, Sgt. Earl Kirby gave details of the case stating that Williams and Mills had resided together at Mission Lane, in Pembroke.

Sgt. Kirby said: "Miss Williams became aware that he was dating another woman. They continued to live in the house but in separate apartments. This led to the situation getting worse.'' Mills then brought a girlfriend to the house and Sgt. Kirby said this made things even more tense between him and Williams.

Sgt. Kirby said: "On January 20, they had an argument and Mills attacked her with a meat cleaver and injured her. The fight was broken up by his brother.

"The following day, there was another fight. Williams lashed out at Mills with a knife causing lacerations in the region of his nose and right cheek. It required 12 sutures to close.'' Sgt. Kirby mentioned there had been a counter-charge against Mills, which Senior Magistrate the Wor. Will Francis said would make his decision difficult.

Williams said she was pregnant at the time of the argument, which had lasted two days.

She said: "He punched me in the face and that is why I lunged at him with the knife. It was not something I had decided to do earlier. It was just there and I picked it up. I did not even know where I had hit him.

"I did not mean to hurt him. It was in self defence because he had punched me.'' Mr. Francis said: "When I hear that he is charged with going at her with a meat cleaver, I realise that there is a lot more that I need to know about this.'' He asked for a social inquiry report to be prepared on Williams.

A 28-year-old Devonshire woman was conditionally discharged after she admitted slapping a friend of her former husband.

Carol-Ann Wade admitting assaulting the woman by slapping her, but denied damaging items belong to the woman, including a mirror.