Residents of a Clarendon community are breathing a sigh of relief after a farmer from the parish who is said to have been physically abusing his wife and children for years was arrested on the weekend.

The man, 51, is in custody of the Croft's Hill police for breaches of the Child Care and Protection Act.

According to reports, the man was arrested over the weekend following an incident during which he is alleged to have chased his wife from their home while giving harsh beatings to his three daughters whom are seven, 10 and 13 years old.

"Di man run dung him wife and put on some lick pon har and tell har fi left di place, afta dat him go back go beat up him pickney dem, mi feel sorry fi dem yu si," a resident, Kelly-Ann McIntosh, recounted to THE STAR.

Lick dem wid anyting

According to her, the man continued to beat the children with anything he could get a hold of despite the pleas of several residents who begged him to stop.

"Di man lick dem wid anyting him can find and lick dem anyweh to ...Is a wicked ting trust me wi cyaa watch him do dem so no more," another resident Devon Willis added.

According to the police, residents of the community say incidents of physical abuse involving the man and his family occurred regularly, often leaving them with evidence of the mistreatment.

"More time yu si dem a pure bruise and swell up yu si..Black- and-blue eye and dem ting deh," Willis further claimed.

The police were alerted over the weekend following the incident as the residents say they fear for the lives of the man's family.

"The Croft's Hill police were summoned by the residents following Saturday's incident ... Residents who witnessed the incident, as well as other incidents, say they could not bear it any longer," Detective Sergeant Michael Greene of the Area Three police told THE STAR.

Cruelty to juvenile

The father was charged with cruelty to a juvenile and child abuse and is to appear in court later this week.

The police also say the children have since been placed into a place of safety.

"Wi jus glad seh di children dem gone a one safe place cause trust me dem neva safe ya so ... Dem woulda get hurt real bad sooner or later," said McIntosh.