ROCKPORT, Maine — A Rockport man who was convicted of felony domestic violence assault for beating a woman on Thanksgiving 2014 is in jail again after police said he contacted the victim in violation of probation conditions.
Eldon Bennett, 32, was arrested Thursday by Rockport police and remains held without bail on the probation violation charge at the Knox County Jail in Rockland. An initial appearance has yet to be scheduled.
Details about the violation and what kind of contact he allegedly had with the victim have not been released.
In April, Bennett pleaded no contest to the domestic violence assault and was sentenced to three years in jail with all but 11 months suspended. He also was placed on probation for two years. No contest pleas result in a conviction but allow a person to challenge the charges in any subsequent civil lawsuit.
The woman filed a civil lawsuit against Bennett in October, alleging that he had assaulted her repeatedly over the last several years leading up to the Thanksgiving incident. She is seeking unspecified damages for assault and battery, false imprisonment and negligent and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
In his response to the lawsuit last month, Bennett denied committing the assaults.
The victim’s initial statement to police, according to the police affidavit filed in the criminal domestic violence assault case, was that Bennett slapped her in the face and tried to spit on her. The victim said at the sentencing hearing, however, that the assault was much more severe and that he pulled her out of bed, slapped her, spit at her, kicked her in the ribs while she was on the floor and said horrible things to her. She said he threatened to shoot her and then shoot himself.
Between his arrest on the assault charge and his April sentencing, Bennett called the victim, visited her at the house and then, while in jail for violating the bail conditions that prevented him from contacting her, sent letters to their 3-year-old son in which he had messages for the woman.
The Rockport woman had asked the judge for a 10-year sentence, saying she feared that Bennett would kill her when he got released from jail. She said the sentence he received was far too lenient.
Bennett also has two prior domestic assault convictions — one with a former girlfriend and another against the current victim in 2012.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence and would like to talk with an advocate, call 866-834-4357, TRS 800-787-3224. This free, confidential service is available 24/7 and is accessible from anywhere in Maine.