Posted: Friday, November 7, 2025. 7:05 pm CST.
By Breaking Belize News Staff: Island resident Manuel Guerra, 31, was found guilty today of Unlawful Sexual Intercourse (USI) with a minor, a case that unraveled after a hickey on the girl’s neck exposed their secret relationship.
Justice Candace Nanton handed down the guilty verdict against Guerra, who was 28 when he had sex with the then-14-year-old student on June 22, 2022. The relationship, which lasted approximately one month, was kept secret by the victim, who viewed Guerra as her boyfriend despite knowing the relationship was inappropriate. Evidence presented during the trial showed Guerra had given the minor gifts, including a cake for her birthday and a teddy bear marked, “I love you.”
The secretive nature of the relationship was exposed when the minor’s mother noticed a hickey, or a “vamp,” left on her daughter’s neck after the June 22 incident. Although the victim initially denied it, she later disclosed what happened, leading to a report and Guerra being charged with USI.
Guerra, who was represented by attorney Leroy Banner, denied the charge, claiming the victim received the hickey elsewhere and tried to blame him. However, Justice Nanton found the victim, who testified in camera at age 17, to be “credible, plausible and reliable” despite minor inconsistencies in her testimony.
The judge also noted that Guerra’s alibi defense, where he claimed he was working as a campaign driver at home at the time of the offense, was unreliable, as his three alibi witnesses could not confirm his location at the specific time the incident occurred.
Following the ruling, Guerra was remanded to the Belize Central Prison.
Justice Nanton has adjourned the case to December 15, 2025, to hear a mitigation plea before imposing a sentence. She has ordered a Social Inquiry Report (SIR), an Antecedent record, and a Victim Impact Statement to be prepared before the sentencing date. The crown was represented by Crown Counsel Denfield Dennison, who called six witnesses, including the victim and her mother.
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The post Man found guilty of ‘secret affair’ with 14-year-old girl; Sent her home ‘vamp up’, bought her birthday cake and ‘I love you’ teddy bear appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
Posted: Friday, November 7, 2025. 7:05 pm CST. By Breaking Belize News Staff: Island resident Manuel Guerra, 31, was found guilty today of Unlawful Sexual Intercourse
The post Man found guilty of ‘secret affair’ with 14-year-old girl; Sent her home ‘vamp up’, bought her birthday cake and ‘I love you’ teddy bear appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
