… While Ladyville villager fined for first offence

He was originally brought up on aggravated assault charges but tonight a Belize City man is in jail because he owed the court big money. According to reports, twenty-seven year old Elwin Lewis was charged with Aggravated Assault with a Firearm, Common Assault, and Using Threatening Words against his ex-common-law wife, thirty-four year old Carolyn Neal. But when Lewis appeared before the Magistrate today, the woman asked that the charges be withdrawn. That would have been the end of the matter but something about the defendant triggered Magistrate Sharon Fraser’s memory and she immediately ordered that a review of Lewis’ record with the court be conducted. It turns out he owed a whopping twenty-five thousand dollars. Lewis was previously fined for gun related offences by Fraser and an additional five thousand in another court. Because he couldn’t produce the cash, Lewis was sent packing to Hattieville Prison where he will spend the next five years behind bars.