Somerset —
Bryan Sears, the local missionary charged with sex crimes in Belize, failed to show up for a court hearing earlier this week, according to media reports.
Channel 5 in Belize City reported that Sears failed to show up for a scheduled hearing on Tuesday. Instead, the judge received a note from Sears claiming he was too ill to attend the hearing, according to the reports.
The case was continued to March 19, but there is some fear Sears might flee the small Central American nation.
“We have confirmed that Sears has only presented a copy of his passport to the court and to the local authorities,” said Patrick Jones, news director at Channel 5. “The original travel document has not been found. Citizens here are concerned he is a flight risk.”
Sears remains out on bail after two clashes with Belize authorities over the past few months.
Last October, Sears, 35, was accused of three counts of “unnatural crime” stemming from allegations that he had forcible sex with three teenage brothers.
Then, while he was out on bail, he was arrested on Dec. 16, for possession of drugs.
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