BELIZE CITY, Tues. Dec. 18, 2018– Roger Robert Wallis, 63, a British national remanded for 2 counts of attempted kidnapping of an 8-year-old boy, was denied bail when he appeared yesterday before Madam Justice Marilyn Williams.

Wallis, a resident of Belmopan, was arrested and charged on September 26, following a report that he tried to kidnap the boy in Belmopan. According to the allegation against Wallis, the boy and his two sisters were walking on the street, on their return from school, when Wallis, who was driving a white van, offered to give them a ride.

The children refused his offer and he allegedly circled around them and grabbed the boy by his arm and attempted to pull him into the van, but the boy’s sisters intervened and prevented Wallis from shoving the boy into the van.

At the bail hearing yesterday, Wallis’ attorney, Hurl Hamilton, submitted that he should be granted bail because he has been living in Belize for 3 years and has business ties to Belize, being the joint owner of a business, Area 52 Entertainment, located in Belmopan.

Hamilton also submitted that Wallis owns a plot of land 2 acres in size in Belize.

The Crown, represented by Crown Counsel Riis Cattouse, objected to bail on the grounds that a prima facie case has been established against Wallis; that he is a British national and if he is granted bail he might abscond because of the serious nature of the offences and the penalty involved if he is convicted; and that his visa permit has expired.

Wallis is to return to the Belmopan Magistrate’s Court on February 27, 2019.

It was Wallis’ second application for bail. In October, he applied for bail before Justice Adolph Lucas, and it was refused.