Dr. John Gough Charged With Wounding For Allegedly Beating Minor

BELIZE CITY, Wed. March 10, 2010

Physicians take an oath to heal. But the opposite apparently was true in the case of Dr. John Gough who along with his friend, sales clerk Egbert Nicholson, 32, was charged with wounding when they appeared yesterday in the #6 Magistrate’s Court. Dr. Gough and Nicholson pled not guilty to the charge. They were released on bail of $1,000 each and their case was adjourned until April 21.

The charge arose from an incident which occurred at 3:30 pm on February 15. The complainant, high school student Carlos Zelaya Jr., 16, reported to the Police that he was walking on Dolphin Drive in Buttonwood Bay when a green Prado drove up beside him and stopped. Zelaya said a man of dark complexion wearing a black polo shirt came from the front passenger side of the Prado and asked him what he had in his pocket. Zelaya said he asked the man why he wanted to know that and if he was the Police and the man told him that a search would be conducted on him. Zelaya said he was about to say something when the man began to punch him in his face.

The door on the driver’s side of the Prado then opened and Dr. Gough, whom he has known for 2 ½ years, got out, said Zelaya. Zelaya told Police that Dr. Gough began to punch him in his face and he fell to his knees. Zelaya said he asked the men why they were beating him but they did not reply. They just kept punching him, said Zelaya.

According to a report, Zelaya had told Police that Dr. Gough pointed a firearm at him. But Dr. Gough was not charged with aggravated assault. After they felt that they had beaten him enough the men drove away, said Zelaya. Zelaya was examined by a doctor who reported that there were swelling and abrasions to his eyes.

The doctor classified Zelaya’s injuries as wounding.

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