One of his victims, 12, said he jumped the fence, went into their classroom and lashed them

Benjamin Chaplin, 49, appeared before Senior Magistrate Sharon Frazer today, Monday 11, on a charge of common assault after whipping some female students on Saturday, February 9.

Chaplin told Magistrate Frazer that he was stoned by the young girls for no reason. He said he chased the girls and whipped them with his belt. Chaplin defending his actions, saying that in his days, it was acceptable for adults to discipline children who did not belong to them.

According to police statement, one of the girls, 12, was accompanied by her mother to the Queen Street police station, and reported that on Saturday, February 9, at around 10:15 a.m. while she was on recess break with her friends, they were listening to music outside in the school yard when a dark-complexioned man with dreadlocks standing on the street picked up a pint bottle and threw it at them for no apparent reason.

The child reported that they ran to their classroom and the man jumped the fence and followed them into the room. He took off his belt and began lashing them in their backs, causing pain. At that time some men from the neighborhood intervened and held the man until the police arrived.

Chaplin pleaded guilty to his charges and was released on three months suspended sentence. If he is charged or convicted for any other offense within one year’s time, he will have to serve those three months.