Man escapes jail time for aggravated assault

The accused man in a case of a sexual offence that goes back to 2007 appeared in court today. The case has twists and turns because the forty-five year old victim took twelve days to report the matter. A doctor was unable to determine whether she was raped and because of that, his charge was degraded from rape to aggravated assault of an indecent nature. But today, the man accused of committing the hideous crime, identified as thirty-two year old Deon Garnett, a resident of Relay Street in Belize City escaped jail time after he pleaded guilty to aggravated assault of an indecent nature. Chief Magistrate, Margaret Gabb McKenzie imposed a fine of two thousand dollars to be paid by September fourteenth and Garnette was free to go. The incident occurred on February tenth, 2007 after the forty-five year old Domestic of Belize City claimed she was heading to buy beer at a nearby shop when she met Garnette. According to the woman, she went to Garnette’s home because he told her he had beer at home. She told the Court that after she arrived at Garnette’s home, he locked his main door and pulled her into his bedroom where he allegedly raped her. The matter was not reported until February twenty-two and a medical examination could not confirm that she had been raped. The D.P.P.’s office subsequently instructed the police to reduce the rape charge to aggravated assault of an indecent nature.