Christmas Day Robber Jailed After Threats of Self-Harm

A 53-year-old man who pleaded guilty to robbing a woman on Christmas Day has been sentenced to two years in prison, after the court found that he also lied about his true identity and expressed repeated threats to take his own life.  The accused, Lester Smith, who initially told the court his name was Allister Alex Smith, admitted to using force to rob a woman of her purse containing cash and personal items. During court proceedings, Smith told the Chief Magistrate that if sent to jail, he would kill himself, prompting immediate concern from the court.  Smith repeated the threat after sentencing, stating he wanted to “hang himself,” leading the Chief Magistrate to order that precautionary measures be taken for his safety while in custody. Court personnel were instructed to closely monitor him due to the expressed risk of self-harm. The robbery occurred in the early hours of Christmas Day when the victim was walking along Wilson Street in Belize City. Despite being overpowered, the woman resisted her attacker during a struggle, after which the stolen items were later recovered by police.  During sentencing, the court revealed that Smith had an extensive criminal record, including 21 prior convictions, many for crimes of dishonesty, escape from lawful custody, and drug-related offenses. The Chief Magistrate noted that Smith’s decision to mislead the court about his identity weighed heavily against him.  While the starting point for sentencing was set at four years due to the seriousness and prevalence of robbery during the Christmas season, the court reduced the term after considering the recovery of the stolen items and Smith’s early guilty plea. A one-third discount for the guilty plea ultimately resulted in a two-year custodial sentence.  Despite his threats, Smith was later escorted without incident to the Belize Central Prison under heightened supervision.  The matter was heard in the Belize City Magistrate’s Court.