Court Jails 70-Year-Old Deportee Nearly 20 Years for Rape of Child

Henry Hulse, a 70-year-old Belizean deportee, was sentenced today to 19 years and six months in prison for the rape of an 11-year-old boy. While acknowledging that the elderly man could potentially spend the remainder of his life behind bars, the court ruled that his age should not deter the imposition of a just sentence for a “heinous” crime. Justice Nigel Pilgrim, presiding over the High Court, ordered the sentence to take effect from June 12, 2024, accounting for time already served in remand.  The conviction stems from an incident where Hulse forced the 11-year-old victim to perform oral sex on three occasions. The acts took place in the back of an abandoned bus where Hulse had been living following his deportation from the United States. The abuse was witnessed by the victim’s brother, who discovered the elderly man in the act.  In a victim impact statement, the boy expressed deep humiliation and shared that he has been subjected to teasing and “mental scars.” Justice Pilgrim classified the harm caused as “Category 2 high harm,” noting that the incident resulted in serious psychological issues and anger for the young victim.  Under Belizean law, the rape of a child under 16 carries a mandatory minimum of 15 years, with the possibility of life imprisonment. Justice Pilgrim set a starting point of 16 years, citing the significant breach of trust as a primary aggravating factor.  The sentence was further increased to 22 years due to the exploitation of vulnerability, noting that Hulse targeted the child because he lacked immediate guardianship at the time.  In seeking a balanced sentence, the court considered Hulse’s personal circumstances. Six months were deducted because no physical violence was used during the commission of the crime. An additional two years were deducted after the court reviewed Hulse’s Social Inquiry Report (SIR) and heard from character witnesses.  The defense highlighted Hulse’s hardships, noting he was a US deportee who had fallen on difficult times and was living in a bus at the time of the offense. The court also took into account that while Hulse had prior convictions for theft and burglary in 2012, he had no history of similar sexual offenses and had maintained good behavior while in prison.  Despite Hulse suffering from cataract in one eye, the judge declined to grant a further deduction for health reasons.  Beyond the prison term, Justice Pilgrim imposed strict conditions to ensure rehabilitation and public safety, including psychiatric treatment at the Kolbe Foundation’s program for sex offenders.