By Breaking Belize News Staff: Twenty-five-year-old Michael Gladden, also known as “Wanie,” has been sentenced to 15 years and 10 months in prison for the attempted murder of a Belize City woman, who was shot and left for dead during a 2023 attack before later fleeing to the United States to seek asylum.
Justice Candace Nanton handed down the sentence today in the High Court after concluding that although Gladden was not the actual shooter, he actively participated in the joint attack on the woman and was therefore culpable.
The court heard that the unidentified gunman who allegedly fired the shots was never arrested or charged, despite being identified.
In delivering sentence, Justice Nanton determined that a custodial sentence was appropriate due to the seriousness of the offense. She set a starting point of 18 years imprisonment, later increasing it to 19 years after considering aggravating factors. Following deductions for pre-trial custody totaling two years and two months, Gladden was left with a remaining sentence of 15 years and 10 months, backdated to March 12, 2026.
Justice Nanton described Gladden’s conduct as “high offending,” noting the use of a deadly weapon, the repeated discharge of gunfire, and the fact that the victim was specifically targeted and pursued.
Medical evidence from a doctor classified the woman’s injuries as dangerous harm after a gunshot penetrated her abdominal wall, injured her bowel, and caused significant blood loss.
During mitigation, Gladden’s attorney, Ian Gray, called his mother as a character witness. She told the court that Gladden lost his father to gun violence at the age of four and suggested the loss deprived him of a father figure and positive role model.
Gladden also addressed the court before sentencing, maintaining his innocence.
“I am innocent because I know I had nothing to do with the incident. I have no role to play in that. I am sorry for what happened to [the complainant],” he said.
However, Justice Nanton stated that the fact Gladden was not the shooter was not a mitigating factor because the offense was carried out as a joint enterprise.
The Crown’s case was led by Crown Counsel Joseph Perez from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
The woman testified during the trial via video link, recounting the terrifying December 2023 attack in which she said she was chased and repeatedly shot at by Gladden and another man.
According to her testimony, she and her ex-common-law husband were walking home from a nearby shop when they noticed Gladden and another man standing beneath a tree. Moments later, the pair allegedly followed and opened fire.
The woman told the court she fled toward the London Bridge area before jumping into a muddy swamp after her slippers burst while running. She said the men pursued her into the swamp and continued firing.
Believing she was about to die, the woman testified that she “played passam” — pretending to be dead — until the attackers left the area.
She further testified that Gladden touched the shooter on the shoulder and said, “She done dead, let’s go.”
Earlier this year, Attorney Ian Gray submitted a no-case submission arguing insufficient identification evidence and lack of proof of joint enterprise. However, Crown Counsel Joseph Perez successfully argued that the victim had known Gladden for over a year before the incident and maintained continuous observation of him throughout the attack, leading the court to reject the submission.
Gladden was also previously sentenced to four years imprisonment last month after pleading guilty to a robbery charge.
The post ‘Wanie’ gets 15 years for attempted murder of Belize City woman appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
By Breaking Belize News Staff: Twenty-five-year-old Michael Gladden, also known as “Wanie,” has been sentenced to 15 years and 10 months in prison for the attempted murder of a Belize City woman, who was shot and left for dead during a 2023 attack before later fleeing to the United States to seek asylum. Justice Candace
The post ‘Wanie’ gets 15 years for attempted murder of Belize City woman appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.