Hand in window gets you 3 separate counts in prison

Winfield Mortis

Also at court, a man who was allegedly caught inappropriately touching a woman through her window is tonight behind bars and facing three criminal charges. Forty-four year old Ladyville resident, Winfield Mortis, appeared before Senior Magistrate Frazer late Wednesday evening and was arraigned on charges of Aggravated Burglary, Aggravated Assault of an Indecent Nature and Damage to Property. The victim, a thirty-two year old woman, claims that at around a quarter to two on the morning of May seventh, she was asleep when she suddenly felt breeze coming through her bedroom window. She woke up to find a man reaching in and touching her. When she started screaming, he ran off into the night, but the woman says she recognized Mortis, whom she has known for five years. In court, Mortis pleaded guilty, but told Senior Magistrate Frazer, that the victim is his friend and while he did touch her, it was not in an inappropriate way. He also denied that he broke into the house and says the damaged window screen, was already ripped when he got there. Since he offered an explanation, an equivocal plea of not guilty was entered on his behalf and the matter will be going to trial. The police prosecutor objected to bail on the grounds that there is strong evidence against Mortis since the victim positively identified him. The woman also disputed his claim that they are friends. Bail was denied and Mortis was remanded at the Belize Central Prison until July second.