Belize City Man Found Guilty of Raping 13-Year-Old Girl

In the High Court today, Justice Nigel Pilgrim delivered a guilty verdict against 49-year-old Belize City resident. Ervin Middleton was convicted of the rape of a 13-year-old girl, which occurred back in September 2020 when she was a Standard Six student. Middleton, who had been out on bail, appeared shocked in the accused box as Justice Pilgrim declared him “Guilty of rape of a child,” concluding a trial that wrapped up in March. The court heard harrowing testimony from the victim, now 18 years old, who recounted the events of that day in 2020. She testified “in camera” that she was home alone when Middleton, who was living at the house at the time and dating her mother, returned early from a function. She stated that after giving him a cup of water which he requested, he asked her to lie down with him. When she refused and tried to leave, she testified that Middleton grabbed her, pushed her onto the bed, overpowered her, and raped her, telling her beforehand that her mother would not believe her. Disturbingly, the court heard that Middleton’s prediction proved true initially. The victim’s mother testified that when her daughter called her immediately after the incident, she did not believe her story, partly due to an unrelated incident involving the child a few months earlier. The rape was not reported to authorities until 2022, and the report was made by another relative, not the mother. Middleton was charged two years after the incident occurred. In his defense, Middleton denied the allegations under oath, claiming the victim fabricated the story out of revenge after he allegedly ended a relationship with her mother upon discovering they were related. He also claimed to have previously caught the child in a lie regarding another relationship. However, Justice Nigel Pilgrim stated he found the victim’s testimony credible and reliable, despite some inconsistencies which he felt did not undermine her account. The judge noted that the prosecution, led by Deputy DPP Sheiniza Smith, successfully proved all the necessary elements for the charge of rape of a child – including penetration without consent, the identity of the perpetrator, and the victim being under 16 at the time (she was 13 years and 8 months old). Justice Pilgrim highlighted that corroborating evidence is not required in such cases and that the defense, led by attorney Ian Gray, did not successfully challenge the victim’s credibility. Following the guilty verdict, Middleton’s bail was revoked, and he was immediately remanded to the Belize Central Prison. Justice Pilgrim has ordered a Social Inquiry Report, a Victim Impact Statement, and other reports ahead of sentencing. Middleton is scheduled to reappear in court for his mitigation plea on May 16, 2025.