By Breaking Belize News Staff: Police Constable Dexter Diego has been sentenced to 21 years, eight months and seven days in prison after pleading guilty to four counts of unlawful sexual intercourse involving a girl who was just 13 years old when the abuse began.
High Court Justice Nigel Pilgrim handed down the sentence on Monday, November 2, following Diego’s guilty pleas on July 27, 2026.
The court heard that Diego, who was 24 at the time, was a family friend of the victim and engaged in sexual intercourse with her on multiple occasions in 2023, including three times in one night when she was 13. Three additional offences occurred when the girl was 14.
In determining the sentence, Justice Pilgrim emphasized Diego’s abuse of his position as a police officer and the serious psychological harm suffered by the victim.
The court also heard testimony from Diego’s former superior who reported that the officer had previously been warned about making inappropriate comments toward young girls.
Justice Pilgrim considered several aggravating factors, including the breach of public trust, the victim’s vulnerability and the repeated nature of the offences. Mitigating factors included Diego’s lack of previous convictions, family responsibilities, expressions of remorse and guilty pleas.
After initially arriving at a sentence of 32 years for the most serious count, the judge applied a one-third reduction for Diego’s guilty plea and credited him for 115 days previously spent on remand, resulting in a final sentence of 21 years, eight months and seven days.
For the remaining three counts, Diego received sentences of five years and seven days each. All four sentences will run concurrently, meaning he will serve the longest term. The sentences were backdated to July 27, 2026.
Justice Pilgrim also ordered Diego to undergo mandatory counselling and psychiatric treatment for sex offenders while incarcerated.
Diego, who was represented by attorney Leslie Hamilton, also faces separate criminal proceedings involving allegations of sexual offences against another minor. Those charges remain allegations and are unrelated to Monday’s sentence.
Diego was initially charged in August 2023 after police investigated reports of unlawful sexual intercourse involving the first victim.
The post 21 years in jail for police man who had sex with 13-year-old girl appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
By Breaking Belize News Staff: Police Constable Dexter Diego has been sentenced to 21 years, eight months and seven days in prison after pleading guilty to four counts of unlawful sexual intercourse involving a girl who was just 13 years old when the abuse began. High Court Justice Nigel Pilgrim handed down the sentence on
The post 21 years in jail for police man who had sex with 13-year-old girl appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.