A 27-year-old St Catherine man who beat his girlfriend because she refused his sex request, was warned never to do it again when he appeared in the Spanish Town Resident Magis-trate's Court on Wednesday.

The presiding resident magistrate told Sean Graham that the complainant has the right to deny him access to her body. "Sex is something between two persons who are involve. It is a private matter and if the woman decides she does not want to have sex with you, you have no right to beat her for it. It is her body," the RM told Graham, before acceding to his lawyer Michael Dean's request of a non-custodial sentence.

"Your honour, my client is still getting counselling at the Bethel Baptist Healing Centre and he is even deeply saddened by the incident that was caused by his temper. It is unlike him to behave like this, however, even community service would do well for him," the attorney told the court.

The RM then told the accused, that next time he needs to behave much better.

Allegations are that last March, Graham asked the complainant for sex. When she refused, he started to show her a number of text messages she received on her phone and then started to beat her. She bit him and got away and made a report to the police. Graham was subsequently charged with assault occasioning bodily arm.

The RM told Graham that what acted in his favour, was that he is doing counselling at his own expense and he pleaded guilty. However, if he does not do the two year probation with supervision, he will be imprisoned.