British soldier, Perry Stratford is visiting Belize, but tonight his room and board are free because he's at the Hattieville prison, accused of beating and kidnapping his Belizean fiancée.
It all unfolded on Christmas Eve at about 3:00 in the morning when the 28 year old victim claims that the 30 year old Stratford found text messages on her cell phone and accused her of cheating. She admitted to doing so - and she claims that's when he went into a rage and threw all her possessions out the window of their riverside home. Those possessions from perfume and makeup to jewelry and underwear had a combined value of over 51 thousand dollars. She claims he even tried to throw her dog in the river. And apart from all that he is also accused of kicking her, elbowing her, dragging her by the hair, ripping off her pants, and then abducting her in her own Toyota RAV 4. He said he was taking her to Belmopan but put her out of the vehicle near the Burdon Canal bridge. That's where she flagged down an oncoming vehicle and went to the police. Her injuries were classified as harm. He was detained by police shortly after and charged with kidnapping, harm, theft and damage to property.
Today in court, Stratford was represented by attorney, Orson "OJ" Elrington and arraigned before the Chief Magistrate, Sharon Fraser. He was read four criminal offenses but the charge of kidnapping was what the Chief Magistrate said tied her hands from offering him bail. No plea was taken from Stratford due to that kidnapping charge.
But, in an attempt to keep his client out of Kolbe, OJ Elrington tried to get the soldier remanded to BATSUB Headquarters in Ladyville. He showed documentation to prove that BATSUB would hold him in their custody until his case is finished on a kind of house arrest. The Magistrate seemed agreeable, but, ultimately that attempt at soft remand failed when the Commandant from BATSUB got further instruction from his superior that unless Stratford is out on bail, they cannot host him at their Price Barracks compound. Stratford was very emotional throughout his arraignment and when he heard he was going to prison and that's when he began to weep in court.
Stratford was remanded into custody at the Belize Central Prison until February 23, 2023.
His attorney is optimistic that he will be able to seek an Emergency bail application for his client before the end of the week and possibly as early as tomorrow, added Elrington.
