Man given suspended sentence for attacking girlfriend while drunk
LAWRENCE — A city man yesterday was sentenced to a one-year suspended jail sentence for the Dec. 27 attack on his girlfriend.
Shannon Sirois, 32, of 169 Water St., was to have been the subject of a hearing in Lawrence District Court to determine whether he posed a danger to the community and should remain locked up pending his trial.
Sirois had been charged with attempted murder, assault and battery on a household member, intimidation of a witness, and larceny over $250 in connection with the incident.
Instead, Judge Anthony Sullivan sentenced him to one year in jail, suspended for two years, on the assault and battery on a household member count.
Stephen O'Connell, spokesman for District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett's office, said the attempted murder charge was dropped.
Sirois was placed on two years of probation on the larceny charge, which was reduced to larceny under $250. The witness intimidation charge was dismissed.
O'Connell said prosecutor Jennifer Kunsch asked the court to sentence Sirois to two years in prison, with six months to be served and the balance suspended for two years, and with various conditions, including that he complete a batterers treatment program, undergo mental health and alcohol evaluations, and refrain from abusing the victim.
Defense lawyer Michael Kostyla agreed to the conditions, but asked Sullivan to sentence his client to six months, suspended for 18 months.
The victim told police that on the night of the attack Sirois had been drinking while he was watching her children, and that he became angry when she told him he was not supposed to be drinking.
She told police he grabbed her by the throat with both hands, began to squeeze and that she could not breathe.
The victim is 4 1/2 months pregnant, police said.
Sirois had been held without bail pending the hearing until entering a plea in the case yesterday.
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