Martin Lopez fined $1,500 for attacking 64-year-old uncle with machete

By Breaking Belize News Staff: A 22-year-old Belize City construction worker has been fined a total of $1,500 after pleading guilty to attacking his 64-year-old uncle with a machete during a family dispute at their Buttonwood Bay residence.

Martin Lopez appeared unrepresented before Senior Magistrate Mannon Dennison in Court #6 on Friday, where he pleaded guilty to aggravated assault with a dangerous instrument and harm against his uncle, a retired teacher.

The incident occurred around 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday, October 6, at a residence on Buttonwood Bay in Belize City. According to the prosecution’s facts, the uncle had visited his mother’s home when his nephew began verbally abusing him. As the uncle attempted to leave, Lopez struck him twice in the back with a machete and once more on his right upper arm.

The injured man subsequently sought medical attention at the Cleopatra White Polyclinic, where a doctor observed swelling to his upper right arm and complaints of pain to his back and neck. His injuries were classified as harm.

In court, Lopez admitted to the attack but claimed he had been defending his grandmother, alleging that his uncle had been verbally abusing her when he arrived home for lunch. He described his uncle as a troublesome individual who was not supposed to be at the family residence.

However, Senior Magistrate Dennison rejected the explanation as a mitigating factor, noting that nothing in the prosecution’s facts supported Lopez’s claim that he had acted in defense of his grandmother. The court considered this an aggravating factor in determining his sentence.

Taking into account that Lopez had no previous convictions, Dennison imposed a $500 fine for aggravated assault, payable by November 30, 2026, or three months’ imprisonment in default. For the harm conviction, he was fined an additional $1,000, payable by January 31, 2027, or four months’ imprisonment in default.

Lopez was also ordered to pay $5 in court costs for each offense, bringing his total financial penalty to $1,510.

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