The conclusion of a long-delayed magistrate’s court case brought a measure of closure this week, nearly two and a half years after charges were first laid and almost five years after the original incident.
Proceedings formally wrapped up on Monday, marking the end of a case that began on June 30th, and September 1, 2020, when an incident involving a young person was alleged to have occurred in Bermuda. The accused, 58-year-old Bryan Butterfield of Hamilton Parish, was a person in a position of trust and authority at the time of the offense.
For legal reasons, the identity of the young female victim cannot be revealed.
Butterfield was initially charged on May 5, 2023, with two counts arising from conduct committed between June 30 and September 1, 2020. The charges stated that, while acting as a person of trust, he touched the young person for sexual purposes—once involving her chest and, in a separate instance, involving her genital area.
After multiple delays in the legal process, Butterfield appeared before the court on June 5, 2025, where he pled guilty to one counts.
Earlier this week, the magistrate delivered sentencing. Butterfield was sentenced to:
- Two years’ imprisonment
- One year of probation upon release
- Mandatory placement on the Sex Offenders Register
The ruling closes a difficult chapter for the victim and her family, who have waited nearly half a decade for accountability. The court emphasized the serious breach of trust and the lasting impact such actions have on young persons.
As Butterfield begins his sentence, his name will remain recorded and monitored as part of Bermuda’s ongoing effort to protect minors and hold offenders accountable.
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