Man gets jail for striking estranged wife with kawk

[stevethrower]

ROCKLAND, Maine — A 62-year-old Cushing man will spend five days in jail after pleading guilty Wednesday to assaulting his estranged wife.

Fred E. Thomas pleaded guilty to 180 days in jail with all but five days suspended and was placed on probation for a year for domestic violence assault and indecent conduct. A third charge of unlawful sexual contact was dismissed.

The incident occurred in July in Warren when his wife of 39 years, who was estranged from him, stayed at his place. He offered her $20 for sex, and when she refused he took out his penis and struck her with it, according to the prosecution’s version of events to which he pleaded guilty.

Defense Attorney Justin Andrus said Thomas was tremendously upset that his marriage of 39 years was ending. He said his estranged wife was planning to go to Pakistan to meet a man she met online.

“This was not his normal conduct,” Andrus told Justice Jeffrey Hjelm during the sentencing hearing in Knox County Superior Court.

Assistant District Attorney Christopher Fernald asked for Thomas to serve seven days in jail while Andrus asked for just probation and no jail time.

Hjelm said a jail term was appropriate in this case.

“This was sexually aggressive conduct. This couldn’t be much more offensive,” Hjelm said.

The wife did not seek jail time for Thomas but did ask that he undergo counseling for anger management, which was ordered.

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[d0uche_n0zzle]

After thirty-nine years of marriage, I'm surprised he manged to get hard for her.

 

[DrewDown]

She enticed him.

 

[gorram]

After thirty-nine years of marriage, I'm surprised he manged to get hard for her.

Wouldn't it have been funnier if he had done it flaccid?

“This was sexually aggressive conduct. This couldn’t be much more hilarious,” Hjelm said.

 

[Mags]

How is this not legal?

 

[Hudson]

Defense Attorney Justin Andrus said Thomas was tremendously upset that his marriage of 39 years was ending. He said his estranged wife was planning to go to Pakistan to meet a man she met online.

That should end well.

 

[stevethrower]

Oh wrong mug shot btw... that one is for this master criminal.

South Thomaston man gets five months for setting home on fire to collect insurance


ROCKLAND, Maine — A 52-year-old South Thomaston man was sentenced Monday to five months in jail after admitting he set fire to his home in an effort to collect insurance.

Dana R. Benner was sentenced Monday morning in Knox County Superior Court to six years in jail with all but five months suspended for arson. Benner also will be placed on probation for three years.

During that probationary period, Benner is prohibited from possessing incendiary devices including a cigarette lighter or cigarettes.

Justice Jeffrey Hjelm cited the potential injury to first responders such as firefighters from the two towns that responded to the Sept. 2, 2008, fire.

The judge also pointed out that Benner’s wife was asleep upstairs in the house when Benner used a match to set fire to clothes in the basement.

Defense attorney Jonathan Handelman cited his client’s mental health issues in seeking no jail time for his client. Handelman said the Dana Benner before the court Monday was not the same man at the time of the fire.

Assistant District Attorney Christopher Fernald cited evidence that Benner wanted to get rid of the house that was near foreclosure. He said it was fortunate that no one was hurt in the fire.

Benner made admissions to health care officials when taken to the emergency room shortly after the fire, according to the prosecutor.

Insurance companies repaid two mortgage holders about $200,000 as a result of the fire. Justice Hjelm directed that Benner make regular payments while on probation to repay the insurance company, although he acknowledged that Benner would not be able to come close to paying the bulk of the money owed during those three years.

Benner was a hardworking fisherman before he became ill, according to family members. He now is receiving Social Security disability benefits, Handelman said. The defense attorney asked for no jail time, saying his client would lose those benefits while in jail.

Benner did not speak during the hour-long sentencing hearing. His wife and daughter urged leniency.

Benner was arrested last July and spent three days in jail for violating terms of his bail by possessing a lighter.

The maximum sentence for arson is 30 years in prison.

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