by Roy Davis (freelance reporter)

BELIZE CITY, Thurs. July 6, 2023

Giovanni Burns, 49, an auto mechanic of a Belize City address, was found guilty of rape and two other sexual offences today by Justice Nigel Pilgrim. The other offences were attempted rape and sexual assault.

Burns will be sentenced on July 28.

The incident occurred during the early hours of the night on February 1, 2019, in Belize City.

The victim, who was 24 years old at the time, testified in camera, meaning that she gave her testimony without members of the press and the public being present.

She said Burns dragged her into a yard and forced her to perform oral sex on him. She testified that Burns then tried to forcefully have sexual intercourse with her and while doing so he put his finger in her private part.

After the Crown, represented by Crown Counsel Romey Wade, closed its case, Burns’ attorney, Darrell Bradley, submitted that Burns did not have a case to answer. But the submission was not upheld by Justice Pilgrim.

Burns then gave a statement from the dock in which he claimed that he and the victim had a relationship and that he would never rape her.

But Justice Pilgrim did not believe his side of the story and he was found guilty.