In a high-profile court decision handed down on July 14, 2026, a San Ignacio magistrate has dismissed the sexual assault charge brought against former Belize Police Department officer Durmen Dawson, ruling the defendant has no case to answer on that count.
The proceeding, held at the San Ignacio Magistrate’s Court, saw both Dawson and his accuser, Luanna Gillett, present in the courtroom. While the sexual assault allegation will not move forward to a full trial, Dawson remains required to defend against a lesser charge of harm in subsequent court proceedings. Notably, Dawson appeared without legal representation during this critical hearing.
The case traces its origins back to a February 14, 2024 incident that unfolded inside the San Ignacio Police Station. At the time of the alleged incident, Gillett was also an active-duty officer with the Belize Police Department. She claimed that Dawson had sexually assaulted her while on department premises. Footage of the encounter, captured by the station’s built-in surveillance system, spread widely across public channels shortly after the incident became public, drawing significant public attention to the case.
Following the initial allegations, the Belize Police Department launched an internal disciplinary tribunal to investigate the conduct of Dawson. Then-Commissioner of Police Chester Williams confirmed the outcome of that internal process in public statements at the time. The tribunal’s adjudicator found Dawson guilty of the allegation and formally recommended his termination from the force, citing the severity of the sexual assault charge. Williams affirmed that recommendation, and Dawson was officially dismissed from the department after the internal process concluded. Beyond the internal disciplinary action, law enforcement authorities also brought formal criminal charges of both sexual assault and harm against Dawson, leading to the two-year-long court process that culminated in this week’s ruling.