A 33-year-old Utah man will spend the next 129 days in jail after pleading guilty to beating his wife in front of their children.
The man has been in jail since early January after authorities arrested him for felony aggravated assault and domestic violence in the presence of a child.
The Salt Lake Tribune reports that the man’s charges stem from a December 26, 2012 incident in which the man began hitting his wife during an argument. The man reportedly brought the couple’s small children in to a room and forced them to watch him beating his wife.
One of the children told police that this was a frequent occurrence.
Cases like this can have a significant impact on a defendant. In addition to jail time and fines, a criminal record can make funding employment extremely difficult. Domestic violence convictions can also play a significant part in any subsequent child custody and divorce proceedings.
Source: Salt Lake Tribune, “Utah man sentenced to jail for beating wife in front of their children,” July 27, 2013