Biddeford man to serve nine years for domestic violence strangulation

A 41-year-old Biddeford man convicted of Class A felony domestic violence aggravated assault has been sentenced to 16 years in prison, with all but nine years suspended, followed by four years probation, York County District Attorney Kathryn Slattery said in a news release.

Philip Menard was sentenced by Justice Richard Mulhern on Nov. 8, following a three day trial at York Judicial Center in October.

The York County jury heard from the victim that she was strangled to the point of unconsciousness several times during Menard’s attack and that she fled the house barefoot to get help, said Slattery.

 In addition to returning a guilty verdict in the Class A crime, the jury separately found Menard guilty of Class C felony domestic violence assault. The district attorney said Menard has been previously convicted domestic violence crimes.

 “I appreciate the bravery of the victim testifying before the jury about what happened to her,” Slattery said. “Thanks to the Biddeford Police Department’s thorough investigation and compassion for the victim we were able to build a strong case to put before the jury.”

Slattery said domestic violence continues to be a problem in Maine, where nearly half of all homicides are the result of domestic violence. Nationwide, she said one in four women are victims of violence at the hands of their partners.