AUGUSTA, Maine — A Waterville man has been sentenced to 18 months in prison for pushing his 4-month-old daughter’s face into a cushion to stop her from crying, leaving visible swelling and bruising on her head.
Robert Phillips pleaded guilty Tuesday in Kennebec County Superior Court to aggravated assault.
The 37-year-old Phillips was sentenced to seven years in prison, with all but 18 months suspended, and three years of probation.
Prosecutors say the girl awoke crying on the night of Nov. 12, and Phillips took her downstairs where he pushed her face into a sofa cushion with a wooden board underneath. Authorities say there is concern the girl may suffer from long-term consequences of the assault.
The Kennebec Journal reports that Phillips’ lawyer says his client realizes the consequences of his actions.
Not good enough, Judge. Try again.
ONLY 18 MONTHS??? Gee, now there’s a deterrent.
Did you even read the article: The 37-year-old Phillips was sentenced to seven years in prison, with all but 18 months suspended, and three years of probation.
I’m not going to explain to you how probation works because I doubt you will understand it.
18 months!! aggrevated assault! are you kidding me! why not attempted murder??
Did you miss this part: The 37-year-old Phillips was sentenced to seven years in prison, with all but 18 months suspended, and three years of probation.
Do you understand what can happen to him if he screws up while on those three years of probation?
18 months??????? Wow! you get that for a bar brawl…WTF?
I will never understand this crap, abuse a defenseless child and get squat but get caught abusing yourself with marijuana or alcohol and get several years. How do they figure its justifiable? Wonder why they continue to do it, hope the judge sleeps soundly because i never would be able to knowing what i could have done versus what i did….
I wish more people in this State had your common sense HaDeZ. I have seen too many child molesters get 30 days in jail for ruining somebody’s life and people growing their own weed get 5 years for abusing themselves with something less toxic than alcohol. Our whole judicial system needs to be rewritten and overhauled to make the punishment fit the severity of the crime.
You can attempt to turn this into a referendum on drugs but one has NOTHING TO DO WITH THE OTHER.
Understand, accept , admit it or not. Addiction doesn’t happen in a vacuum.
If drugs were legal they still WOULDN’T BE FREE. If legalized MORE PEOPLE would be stealing from family, friends and the community. Why is that so difficult for some to grasp?
The idea of “let them kill themselves” Is just plain ignorance. If that were the case perhaps you could in some twisted way justify your stance. BUT ADDICTION COSTS A COMMUNITY NOT JUST THE INDIVIDUAL
And I suppose then allowed back around the child??
I would not be surprised at all, really crazy times we live in.
Gee, Judge, how much was the kickback you got to suspend 80% of the sentence. Spend that blood money well.
18 months??? Like everyone else has said, that is insane!! “May suffer long tern consequences”….poor baby. I pray she heals fully……….Hope this man get his own, x10.
That is an insult to the little girl and our justice system. He deserves more time.
What is in the water in Waterville that makes children disappear and/or be abused?
bernie staples hancock county judge retired and went to somekind of place to get with god i think he is looking for forgiveness and hopefully he rots in hell for the unjust things he has done to people and there victims
The judge should be relieved of his/her’s duties. Shameful. I wonder how severe the sentencing would have been, if this were a family member of the judge.
This sentence doesn’t seem to appropriately fit the crime.
Eighteen months? Seriously?
It’s a pretty sad day when a man can abuse a child and get only 18 months in prison. If he had abused an animal, he would have gotten more. I’m not saying that abusing an animal is right but, neither is abusing a baby.
Wow, another judge that needs to be removed from the bench.
Sorry read it wrong another DA that needs to be replaced.
Good call 18 months 3 years probation justice served!
You can’t be serious!!!! You were being sarcastic I hope!
Come on this poor child will have permanentt problems, 18 months is no where near enough! Maybe he should pay the state and whomever to take care of this child for life.
People keep asking why these things continue to happen to innocent lives. We have the answer WHY right here!!!!! Stupid people who sit in authority and call themselves human! This makes me crazy mad!!!! Don’t you wish WE could put these abusers on trial in a “real” court (of right and wrong) and sentence them to what is their due?!!!!! Better yet… find a huge flat rock in the middle of the ocean about 300 miles from any civilization and throw them over board to swim for their life!!!!
The lawyer says his client realizes the consequents of his actions. lets see, had to go court, have to go jail, 3 yrs probation, those are the consequences, it is all about the client.
Too bad he didnt have any Marijuana on him.It would be years then.
18 months for permanently damaging this childs brain? WHERE IS THE JUSTICE IN THIS SENTENCE?
From the article: The 37-year-old Phillips was sentenced to seven years in prison, with all but 18 months suspended, and three years of probation.
Also from the article: Authorities say there is concern the girl may suffer from long-term consequences of the assault.
Where does it state she suffered any sort of permanent brain damage? It only states there is a concern she may suffer long-term but it doesn’t state she will.
SKOWHEGAN, Maine — A Maine man has been sentenced to 4½ years in
prison after he was convicted of shaking his baby son, who suffered a
permanent brain injury.
Twenty-four-year-old Don LaRouche II, formerly of Bingham, was
convicted in February of felony aggravated assault and assault on a
child under the age of 6. NOW I GET IT..PHILLIPS WASN’T BLACK! TRY TO TELL ME THIS IS NOT RACISM??
Just 18 months and she may have farther injuries? This guy needs much, much more time in jail. Won’t do her any good except to keep him away.
I’m so effen glad that he recognizes the consequences of what he did-that’s not going to save this innocent baby from brain damage…AND WHERE’S THE MOTHER???
Justice exists for the criminal, not the victims. Who appointed these judges?
should be 18 years.
Be sure to tell the guys on the inside what a strong brave man you are. Hopefully they will give you something to cry about every night while you are in there.
Lock him up for life before this baby is the next Ayla.
This judge should be evaluated and educated… What kind of a sentence is this? It doesn’t come close to fitting the crime… nor do the charges!!!! This man nearly killed a helpless baby for doing nothing more than what babies normally do – cry – and he gets 18 months in jail? What kind of prosecutor would not charge this man with attempted murder, or some other charge that makes it clear that this is a heinous crime against a very young child. With prosecutors undercharging and judges under-sentencing we don’t have to look far to see how parents who have or are losing control and becoming a danger to their child end up killing their own child/ren. Nancy Grace should get a-hold of this one… she’d make people more aware, alert and watching this parent when his sentence is done and that might possibly save this child’s life down the road. Although a lot of people don’t like Nancy Grace’s mannerism and/or personality, one thing for sure is that she brings huge awareness to crimes against women and children and THAT is a good thing.
18 MONTHS???????????
COME ON, Judge! What is the message you’re giving here??? “Ah, that ain’t so bad, really.”