A case of domestic violence in Lords Bank ended in court last Monday with a conviction. Jonathan Henry Reyes, a 36-year-old resident of Ladyville, pleaded guilty to common assault after striking his wife during a heated domestic argument.
The incident happened around 3:30 a.m. on April 9, 2025. According to police, Reyes returned home visibly drunk and started a verbal altercation with his wife. She tried to walk away, but he hit her with her own handbag. Fearing further harm, she fled the home and sought police assistance near Mile 10 on the George Price Highway.
His wife, a 35-year-old domestic worker, later told authorities that this wasn’t an isolated event. She revealed that throughout their nine-year relationship, Reyes had made several threats, even warning he would kill her if she left him for another man.
Reyes appeared before a Senior Magistrate in Belize City’s Court #6. Prosecutors initially charged him with harm and common assault. However, the harm charge was dropped, as the facts didn’t meet the legal threshold.
In court, Reyes admitted guilt and apologized. “I love my wife. Yes, I was intoxicated. This is not me. I am so sorry,” he said. He also stated that he struggles with alcohol and attends a Seventh Day Adventist Church. This conviction marked his first.
The magistrate acknowledged his early guilty plea and clean record. Still, she emphasized that alcohol and an unprovoked attack worsened the situation. She fined him $300, due by June 30, 2025. Failure to pay will result in a three-month jail term.
This conviction adds to growing awareness of domestic violence in Lords Bank, prompting ongoing community concern and calls for action.
