Mother Knows Best: Man gets two years for breaking into mom’s house and taking speaker, chargers, bulbs, dictionary, cooking oil

By Breaking Belize News Staff: A Biscayne Village man who burglarized his own mother’s home earlier this year has been sentenced to two years in prison, with the sentence backdated to the time he was first remanded.

Twenty-nine-year-old Ashton Andre Armstrong, of Washing Tree, Biscayne Village, appeared before Senior Magistrate Mannon Dennison in Court #6 on Monday, where he changed his plea from not guilty to guilty on a charge of burglary.

Armstrong was first arraigned on February 2, 2026, after he was accused of entering his mother’s home in Biscayne Village and stealing several household items valued at $153. The items included a Bluetooth speaker, two chargers, a surge protector, fluorescent bulbs and sockets, a hardcover dictionary, and a bottle of vegetable oil.

According to the facts of the case, Armstrong’s mother reported to police that she had secured her home before leaving for work on January 29, 2026. Later that morning, she received a call informing her that her son had allegedly broken into the house. When she returned and made checks, the items were missing. Police later found the items at the upstairs residence where Armstrong lived.

Before changing his plea, Armstrong, who was unrepresented, asked the court for a sentencing indication. Senior Magistrate Dennison noted that Armstrong was facing a minimum sentence of seven years, which could have extended to 10 years, but after considering mitigating factors, including his guilty plea, pretrial detention, and a positive character reference from a police constable, the court reduced the sentence.

The officer told the court that he had attended school with Armstrong and described him as a bright student who often placed first in class. Armstrong also told the court that while on remand, he enrolled in a rehabilitation program to better prepare himself for reintegration into society.

Senior Magistrate Dennison used a starting point of five years, or 60 months, and applied deductions for Armstrong’s guilty plea, time spent on remand, and mitigation. Armstrong was ultimately sentenced to 24 months in prison, backdated to February 2, 2026, leaving him with approximately 19 months remaining behind bars.

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