By Breaking Belize News Staff: A 23-year-old call center agent is spending the Christmas and New Year holidays behind bars after a Magistrate denied him bail over what were described as disturbing facts in a domestic violence case that unfolded at his workplace.
Javier Petillo, a call center agent employed with Transparent BPO and a resident of Caesar Ridge Road/Faber’s Road, appeared unrepresented before Mannon Dennison, where he was charged with two counts of common assault involving his estranged girlfriend.
Petillo pleaded guilty to the first count of common assault and was fined by the court. However, he pleaded not guilty to the second count and was subsequently denied bail. Magistrate Dennison ruled that the facts of the case were concerning and disturbing, noting that the two alleged incidents occurred just 20 days apart and left the virtual complainant in fear. The Magistrate also cited the growing prevalence of domestic violence against women in denying bail.
As a result, Petillo was remanded to the Belize Central Prison until February 13, 2026.
The court heard that the first incident occurred on December 7, 2025. According to police, the 29-year-old complainant, a waitress, reported to the Gender-Based Violence Unit that while she was at work, Petillo entered the premises, pulled her outside, and questioned her about her whereabouts and why she had not answered his calls. When she told him it was none of his business, he allegedly slapped her before fleeing on a bicycle.
The second alleged incident occurred on December 27, 2025. Police said the complainant reported that she went to the Transparent BPO compound to retrieve her iPhone 12 cellphone, which she had previously lent to Petillo. After encountering him at the back of the building, she asked for the phone, but he allegedly refused, pulled her by the hair, and punched her.
Petillo was detained by police the following day, December 28, 2025. In court, he denied assaulting the complainant during the second incident, claiming the cellphone was a Christmas gift and alleging that she was intoxicated at the time. He also told the court that he was never her ex-boyfriend and only learned of that claim after hearing the facts read aloud.
Despite his explanations, the Magistrate found that granting bail posed a risk of reoffending and ordered that Petillo remain on remand pending his next court appearance in February.
The post Man spending holiday season in jail for allegedly assaulting ex at her workplace and again at his workplace appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
By Breaking Belize News Staff: A 23-year-old call center agent is spending the Christmas and New Year holidays behind bars after a Magistrate denied him bail over what were described as disturbing facts in a domestic violence case that unfolded at his workplace. Javier Petillo, a call center agent employed with Transparent BPO and a
The post Man spending holiday season in jail for allegedly assaulting ex at her workplace and again at his workplace appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
