DELHI _ A Hancock man who beat his ex-wife's boyfriend with a baseball bat was sentenced to prison in Delaware County Court on Monday for violating probation.
William S. Bennett, 47, pleaded guilty to a reduced count of second-degree assault May 27, 2003, for a July 6, 2002, attack on Gerard Leykamm in Hancock.
Bennett was originally charged with first-degree assault.
In 2003, Delaware County Judge Carl Becker sentenced Bennett to 18 consecutive weekends in jail and five years' probation on the assault charge.
Becker ruled Monday that Bennett had violated his probation "by a preponderance of evidence," revoked his probation and sentenced him to four years in prison and three years of post-release supervision.
During a prolonged violation-of-probation hearing that spanned several days, Bennett admitted he violated his probation by leaving the state numerous times without permission from his probation officer.
Bennett said he traveled to Virginia, Florida and the Bahamas, Hawaii and Philadelphia.
Bennett also admitted that he frequented The Hancock House bar, but he insisted that he drank iced tea. According to Bennett's probation conditions, he was not allowed to drink or be inside a bar, except for a meal, after which he was to leave promptly.
Judy Winters, who bartends at the Hancock House, said she served Bennett Hennessy or Remy Martin cognac on several occasions.
Probation officers also found a bottle of Hennessy in Bennett's car, but Bennett's neighbor, Alex Satkowski, testified that he borrowed the car, bought the bottle and then forgot it in the trunk.
Several family members wrote letters supporting Bennett and two employers testified about his good work record prior to his sentencing.
In another case, Patrick Ford, 21, of DeLancey, pleaded innocent to two counts of third-degree burglary, fifth-degree criminal possession of stolen property, two counts of fifth-degree conspiracy and unlawful possession of marijuana.
Ford's charges stem from an incident in Hamden on Oct. 24, when he and Gregory E. Shamus, 21, of Hamden, allegedly broke into the Hamden General Store.
Shamus pleaded guilty July 29, was sentenced to one year in jail and ordered to pay restitution totaling $3,241. The men also allegedly broke into the store Nov. 25.
Troopers said previously that there was a positive DNA match between one of the suspects and blood evidence recovered by the Troop C Forensic Identification Unit from both crime scenes.
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Patricia Breakey can be reached at 746-2894 or at stardelhi@stny.rr.com.
