ROCKLAND, Maine — A 36-year-old man was sentenced Tuesday to 90 days in jail for unlawfully touching a girl who was baby-sitting for him.
Thomas J. Billings II, formerly of Rockland but now a resident of Augusta, had been convicted at a jury trial in January. His sentencing was held Tuesday in Knox County Superior Court before Justice Jeffrey Hjelm.
Billings received a 364-day jail term with all but 90 days suspended and was placed on probation for a year with the stipulation that he have no unsupervised contact with children under 16 years old. The girl was 15 years old.
The offense occurred in October 2010 in Rockland. In a letter sent by Billings to the victim a month later, he apologized for his actions, saying whatever the girl experienced was not intentional. Billings claims he and his wife had been out drinking at a bar and they became separated on the way home and when he got home, the girl was asleep where his wife has fallen asleep before and he may have thought that she was his wife.
He said he had drank to excess and does not recall touching the girl.
“I sincerely did not intend to do anything in a sexual manner towards you or to bring you harm,” Billings stated in the letter that was filed with the court papers.
After the girl went home that night, the child’s father returned with three other men to “talk” to Billings, according to paperwork filed by Billings in the court file. Billings’ wife called police to their apartment.
Billings was charged in January 2011.
The victim presented a statement to the court in which she said she does not feel comfortable baby-sitting anymore if a man is present. The girl also said the offense affected her schoolwork.
In order to be convicted of a crime there must be a finding of intent. This mans statements sound as if he had not intent to commit a crime. However his statements also very well could have been self serving. It appears as though he might have spoke to police without an attorney present. And his decision to have a jury trial was not a smart choice.
Liars know how to craft their statements in order to avoid demonstrating intent. Maybe this isn’t the guy’s first such offense. Criminals learn from past mistakes.
People who engage in criminal behavior do learn how to rationalize, minimize and lie. I do find the story about being so drunk he couldnt tell his wife from the babysitter a bit skeptical.
Uh no one is sorry until they get caught….once he was caught he waas soooooooooo sorry…
You commit a crime when you break the law. Intent may determine the severity of the legal term assigned to the crime; however, not having intent does not obsovle one from prosecution.
THAT’S THE BIGGEST LOAD OF CRAP I EVER HEARD…guess somebody believed you though…
Inexcusable “excuse” for knowingly doing what he did!
“He said he had drank to excess and does not recall touching the girl””…the girl was asleep where his wife has fallen asleep before and he may have thought that she was his wife.”
Yeah, right! Oh, it also looks like he may have driven to his house. So drunk he don’t remember anything? BS… This boy screwed up a young woman’s life… He needs much more jail time!!!!!!!!!!!!
90 days – you’ve got to be kidding.
Gee, this guy couldn’t wait for “Happy Birthday, Sweet Sixteen”, I guess.
Well, at least we all know the legal age for touching babysitters is 16 years old now.
90 days???
“…the child’s father returned with three other men to “talk” to Billings..”
I guess these men should have “talked” a bit LOUDER!
maybe gonna talk sinclair style
90 days in jail is an outrage.. for something like this the judge needs a slap in the face so hard his teeth fall out. bet that would get more than 90 days.. i hope he gets the worst 90 days ever recorded in jail.. but they will give him his own room with his own kind so he does not get beat up.. i will never understand the justice system