A St Catherine woman yesterday had a difficult time trying to convince the court that it was her brother who cast an obeah spell on her causing her to steal.

Despite blaming her brother, 55-year-old Olive Wilson of Bartons district, St Catherine, was sentenced in the Spanish Town Resident Magistrate's court to 30 days hard labour for simple larceny.

"Yes your honour I stole di items but is mi bredda obeah mi fi di dead lef house mek mi start to tief," Wilson said to the amusement of the court.

She said her brother's obeah spell has caused 'duppy rats' to be gnawing her while she sleeps at home.

" It is because of my belief in God why I don't obeah back. But mi get fed up so mi a go fix him," the accused woman said.

Wilson who admitted to two previous convictions for larceny, said that she was suffering from a very bad chest cold when she took the goods.

She told the court that even though she was a habitual thief she was asking for leniency.