A Woolwich man charged in a domestic violence case pleaded guilty in Lincoln County Superior Court January 31 and was sentenced to serve four months in jail.

Michael A. Dunning Jr., 22, had also been charged with unlawful sexual contact, unlawful sexual touching, and criminal restraint in connection with the same September 9, 2012, incident in Wiscasset.

But in a plea deal, the District Attorney's Office dropped those charges.

Dunning pleaded guilty to a single charge of domestic violence assault, a felony because he already had a domestic violence assault conviction in 2010.

Justice Paul Fritzsche accepted the deal of three years in prison, with all but four months suspended, and two years' probation. Dunning was ordered to undergo a psychological evaluation and any subsequent mental health treatment, and he must complete a batterer's prevention program. He can only have contact with the victim through a third party.

The victim agreed with the proposed sentence prior to the hearing, Assistant District Attorney Andrew Wright said.

While Wright was describing details of the 2012 incident, he commented that Dunning, standing at a podium with his lawyer, appeared to be laughing. Fritzsche then told Dunning to exercise good behavior if he wanted the deal to go through.

Dunning was arrested in the Wiscasset case last September and was later released from Two Bridges Regional Jail on $250 cash bail. A grand jury indicted him on the four original charges January 16.

Susan Johns can be reached at 207-844-4633 or sjohns@wiscassetnewspaper.com.