BELIZE CITY, Fri. May 5, 2017–Louis Tucker, 55, will spend the next 5 years locked away at the Kolbe Foundation-managed Belize Central Prison. Tucker received the prison sentence this morning from Chief Magistrate Ann Marie Smith following his conviction on a charge of sexual assault, which he allegedly committed on November 22, 2016.

   Tucker was remanded to prison last December when he was initially arraigned on the allegation that he grabbed the vagina of the virtual complainant, a 25-year-old woman, as she was walking on Mahogany Street.

   The woman had reported to police that Tucker had touched her on more than one occasion, and she was disgusted with his assault on her body.

   At his arraignment as well as at his sentencing today, Tucker insisted that he did not touch the complainant, who testified that she saw him “coming straight up to” her.

   The complainant said that when she saw him approaching her, she made an effort to avoid him, but he nevertheless assaulted her. She said that she screamed and cursed at Tucker and then went to police and made a report.

   Tucker told Chief Magistrate Smith that he only “accidentally” brushed the woman’s leg.

   The case was prosecuted by Triennia Young, a senior Crown counsel, who was transferred from the Solicitor General’s office to head the Police Prosecution Branch.