A fight over a carton box between two female students of the University of the West Indies landed one of them before the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court to answer assault charges.

The accused, a final-year student, is accused of throwing a box at the the complainant and then hitting her in the face several times, causing swelling which was still obvious when the complainant turned up in court.

The complainant told the court that the accused, who is her flatmate, asked her to take some of her things home during the holiday. The accused is not a Jamaican. The complainant said she brought back the items, but in a different box, and told the accused that she wanted the box back.

She told the court that an argument developed about the box and its ownership and on the day in question, the accused tore off a part of the box, threw it at her and then punched her in the face repeatedly. She also told the court that the incident caused her to miss two exams. She said the accused was violent and was a troublemaker on their flat. She said the accused was determined to continue the despute even though she was offered other boxes.

The accused, however, told the court that she did not throw the box at the complainant. She said she had problems with her flatmates who were smoking and triggering her asthma and was frustrated with the living arrangements.

Both parties were told to speak with a probation officer, with a view for mediation and are to return to court on May 14.