BELIZE CITY, Mon. June 13, 2016–An unemployed 27-year-old man was remanded to the Belize Central Prison after he was arraigned on Monday morning, June 13, in the Belize City Magistrate’s Court on five counts of unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor.

No plea was required from Burley Kenyon Murphy Card, who allegedly had sex with a girl, who is 15-years and 8 months old, between November 2015 and May 2016.

In court, the accused man told Magistrate Deborah Rogers that he now goes by the name Burley Murphy and not Burley Card, as his name appeared in the court system.

Magistrate Rogers informed Card that due to the nature of the offenses, she could not grant him bail, but she informed him that he could apply for bail through the Supreme Court with the help of an attorney.

Since no plea was taken, Murphy asked the court permission to speak. He told Magistrate Rogers that when he was detained at the police station, he tried to explain to them that he had been set up. He told the court that the police only spoke with the alleged victim but refused to hear his side of the story.

Magistrate Rogers advised Card to say nothing else at that time, since there is nothing she could do to help him. She also advised him to hire an attorney to handle his case.

Murphy also told the court that he cannot afford to go to jail, because his girlfriend is expecting to give birth anytime now.

The Magistrate’s hands were tied, however, due to the amendment to the Crime Control and Criminal Justice Act which prevents Magistrates from granting bail for certain offences.
Murphy was remanded to the Belize Central Prison until August 31, 2016.

In a report to police last Thursday, June 8, the minor, in the presence of her 45-year-old mother, told police that sometime between November 2015 and May 2016, she had sexual

intercourse five different times with a man she knew as Burley Card.

The minor was examined by a doctor, who classified her injuries as grievous harm and also confirmed that she had been carnally known.