Renowned martial artist Skipper Ingham was given a suspended prison sentence last week after he was found guilty of assaulting a tenant, The Royal Gazette can reveal.

Magistrate Edward King found 70-year-old Frederick Innes Woods Ingham guilty after a trial, saying an open handed defensive thrust he used on Denise Richardson constituted an unlawful assault.

Mr. King sentenced Ingham, of King Street, to three months in prison and suspended the sentence for two years.

The magistrate heard that Ingham had sent a letter in October of 1999 telling Ms Richardson, who now lives in Hamilton Parish, to vacate his property at 44 Angle Street by the end of February 2000.

On March 1, around 12.30 p.m., he went to the apartment with a locksmith to change the locks.

Ms Richardson testified she told Ingham: "No way! You want me out, then you have to take me to court.'' She tried to close the door and there was a struggle with her pushing it closed and Ingham trying to push it further open.

Ms Richardson testified he was able to overpower her and then punched her in the face, knocking off her glasses, and continued to punch her.

She ran into her kitchen and returned with a knife but found he was gone.

Ingham told Mr. King that he opened the door to the apartment with a key and was surprised to find Ms Richardson in the apartment, having expected her to have moved out.

He admitted to having a struggle over the door and that Ms Richardson suddenly let go of the door and came at him.

Ingham told Mr. King: "I put my hand out and she ran into my hand.'' He denied striking Ms Richardson because as a multiple black belt he can "break two bricks with one punch''.

He admitted throwing the defensive block twice to stop Ms Richardson before she ran off to get the knife. Both people called Police.

Under cross examination Ingham denied using force to block the woman, saying "I put my hand out like that'' and extending his right arm with the palm of his hand facing the woman.

Ingham told the Court he used "necessary force'', adding that "there are many degrees of force, but that was proper without hitting'' Ms Richardson.

Mr. King found that Ms Richardson was still the legal tenant and had a right to still be in the apartment because there was not a court order evicting her.

Forcing the door open without her consent and using his hands in the gesture "amounted to an assault in law''.

Mr. King said he "honestly believed'' that Ingham had assaulted Ms Richardson and that "your demonstration clearly showed'' he used force in the thrust.

He added that while Ingham had a clean record he could not overlook the fact that an assault had taken place.