Man walks on carnal knowledge charge, girl lied about age

A man accused of the carnal knowledge of a fourteen year old is tonight free after he produced evidence that the victim had lied about her age. According to reports from the Belize City Supreme Court, thirty year old Dionicio Howard was charged with the offence after the father of the girl reported that in 2003, Howard was living with his daughter. But in court today, Howard submitted a letter that the girl had written to him. The contents included an apology for “getting Howard into trouble” and another apology for telling him that she was seventeen when she was actually only fourteen. The case was turned over to the jury this afternoon who returned with a not guilty verdict at approximately four-thirty. Howard was undefended in court. The case was presided over by Justice Michelle Arana and prosecuted by Marjorie Moyston.