A fifty-three-year-old repeat offender with an extensive criminal history has been sentenced to two years imprisonment for a Christmas Day robbery in Belize. Lester Smith, who initially provided authorities with the false identity ‘Allister Alex Smith,’ confessed to forcibly stealing a woman’s purse containing her identification documents, banking cards, and cash on December 25th.
The victim demonstrated remarkable courage during the confrontation, physically resisting the assailant and striking him with her mobile phone before he ultimately overpowered her and fled with the property valued at sixty dollars. Law enforcement officials successfully apprehended Smith following a swift investigation.
During sentencing proceedings, Chief Magistrate Court proceedings took an unexpected dramatic turn when Smith declared his intention to end his own life upon incarceration, stating: ‘Once I go dah jail, I wah hang myself.’ He reiterated this disturbing threat following the formal sentencing announcement, expressing profound frustration with his personal circumstances and repeated judicial encounters.
The court immediately implemented precautionary protective measures to ensure Smith’s safety despite his subsequent attempts to retract the statements. Judicial records reveal the defendant’s extensive criminal background comprising twenty-one prior convictions, including burglary, theft, and previously escaping lawful custody.
This pattern of recidivism resulted in an enhanced sentence prior to mitigation, though Smith received a one-year reduction acknowledging his guilty plea. The defendant was subsequently transferred to Belize Central Prison without further incident, though his courtroom declarations raise significant concerns regarding mental health support systems within correctional facilities.