By Belize Live News Staff: A 27-year-old man from Caribbean Shores has been fined following a violent incident last week in which he admitted to choking a woman during an argument.
Charles Richard August appeared before Magistrate Ludlow Black and pleaded guilty to a single charge of common assault. The charge stems from a confrontation on July 28, where August reportedly placed his hands around the woman’s neck during the altercation.
While the court acknowledged that this was his first conviction for assault and that he accepted responsibility without delay, Magistrate Black made it clear that choking someone is a serious and potentially deadly act. Still, the court opted not to impose a prison sentence.
August was fined $300, plus a $5 court fee, and given until August 15 to pay. Failure to do so will result in three months of imprisonment.
This is not August’s first run-in with the law. In 2023, he pleaded guilty to stealing $2,450 from another individual and was fined $1,000. A year earlier, he and his then-girlfriend were charged with possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition after police discovered a .22 revolver and live rounds. They were both denied bail in that case.
Although August has avoided jail once again, the incident adds to a growing list of legal troubles that suggest a troubling pattern.
