Police Officer’s Sentence Increased in Sexual Assault Case

A police officer convicted of sexually assaulting a female colleague has received a longer prison sentence following an appeal heard in the High Court.  Forty-year-old Brigilio Ack, who was originally sentenced to eight months’ imprisonment after his August 2025 conviction, has now had that term increased to one and a half years. The adjustment came after his appeal against conviction was dismissed, while his appeal against sentence resulted in a re-sentencing by Justice Nigel Pilgrim.  After accounting for time already spent on remand, the court determined that Ack is to serve one year, two months, and twenty-four days in prison, effective March 10.  In addition to the custodial sentence, the court ordered that Ack undergo mandatory counselling and receive appropriate medical or psychiatric treatment for sexual offenders while at the Belize Central Prison. Upon release, he will also be required to notify authorities before changing his place of residence, including the Commissioner of Police and the Director of Human Development.  The case stems from a March 2023 incident in which Ack was found to have groped the breast and kissed the neck of a female colleague without her consent. In delivering the ruling, Justice Pilgrim noted that the offense involved an abuse of trust and caused significant psychological harm to the victim. The court categorized the harm as high and the level of offending as serious, pointing to repeated unwanted advances during their tour of duty.  Justice Pilgrim emphasized that the sentence reflects the need to uphold respect for the law and protect individuals from sexual misconduct, particularly in the workplace.