Forty two year old Errol Fairweather was probably the first person living with HIV to publicly campaign in Belize to help raise awareness to stop the spread of the virus. In fact for a number of years Errol Fairweather could be seen on countless posters and ads as he helped organizations like Alliance Against Aids in their fight to promote the idea of healthy persons living with HIV.
But since then, he’s fallen on hard times and tonight this once well known advocate is back in the news, accused of stealing from the very same people who have tried to help him. He is charged with one count of attempted burglary and one count of damage to property after he tried to break into the offices of Alliance Against Aids.
Court reports are that around twelve midnight on October twenty fourth Belize City Police received a call informing them that someone was trying to enter the building at 5766 Meighan Avenue in the King’s Park area. But Fairweather did not get very far. He apparently fell from the attic of the building and broke his right foot as he fell to the ground and that is where the cops found him when they arrived at the location.
Today Errol Fairweather appeared before Magistrate Sharon Frazer. He told the court that the only thing he is guilty of is damaging two sensor lights owned by Alliance Against Aids. Fairweather who was emotional and very apologetic explained to the court that he was upset with the Aids organization and that he was not thinking properly but that the organization had abandoned him when he needed them most claiming that he needed money for medication two doctors had prescribed.
But reliable information is that Errol Fairweather has a drug problem and has been stealing to support his habit. Magistrate Frazer accepted Fairweather’s guilty plea to damage to property and explained to him that the attempted burglary charge remains. Magistrate Frazer then imposed a non–custodial sentence and fined him five hundred dollars plus five dollars cost of court. If he is unable to make the payment by November thirty first he will spend six months in jail.
Regarding the second charge of attempted burglary the police prosecutor Sergeant Hector Rodriquez did not object to bail and he was offered bail in the sum of four thousand dollars plus two sureties of two thousand dollars each. Errol Fairweather was unable to meet the bail and was remanded to Hattieville Prison. He is scheduled to reappear in court on December twenty second.
