FARMINGTON — A Franklin County justice sentenced a Walpole man Tuesday to two years of a six-year prison sentence for repeatedly beating a former girlfriend last March in Stratton.

Clay A. Carter, 32, pleaded guilty Monday to aggravated assault and criminal mischief. Superior Court Justice Michaela Murphy also sentenced Carter to serve six months concurrent on the criminal mischief conviction and six months of probation.

Photos showing clumps of the woman’s hair on a floor and entwined in a sweatshirt were presented by Assistant District Attorney James Andrews during the sentencing in Franklin County Superior Court.

Andrews said the victim’s hair was pulled out when Carter dragged her down stairs in a mutual friend’s home, threw her into a car, drove her to the couple’s home in Stratton and dragged her up the stairs. Despite Carter knowing the woman had brain surgery five years before, Andrews said, Carter smashed her head repeatedly on the porch floor and threw her onto the bed so her head hit the wall.

Other photos showed the woman with two black eyes, split lips, a swollen forehead, scratches and bruises on her body and other injuries.

Andrews said that the woman was trying to end the relationship when the assault took place.

Both Andrews and defense attorney Walter McKee said the woman suffered no serious bodily injury.

While Andrews described incidents leading up to the March assault that he claimed demonstrated that Carter was violent and wanted to control the woman, Carter’s attorney and his supporters disagreed. They said the assault was out of character for him and was caused by alcohol mixed with medication prescribed for migraine headaches.

Andrews asked that Carter serve five years of an eight-year prison sentence, followed by four years of probation, along with release conditions including no contact with the victim and completion of a certified batterer intervention program.

Victim advocate Bonnie Lisherness read a letter from the woman, who said she was stalked and suffered sexual violence by Carter.

“I knew enough to be afraid of Clay, what I did not know was how I would survive Clay,” Lisherness read.

The victim wrote that the beating left her with stuttering speech, inability to write, constant head pain and other effects.

McKee asked the court to give Carter credit for seven months already served in jail with no additional jail time and to set the base sentence at five years with probation.

Carter’s mother and stepfather, Donna and Don Carrigan, also asked the court to give Carter credit for time served.

Donna Carrigan said her son has acknowledged the pain he has caused to the victim and her family and to his own family. He needs to get medical treatment that he won’t get in prison, she said.

Don Carrigan said the family was very sorry the victim was injured and it should never have happened. He said Carter has an alcohol addiction and he has acknowledged the problem while in jail and is dealing with it.

He said Carter was no “monster.” He said he has a history of concussions and a few months before the March incident he had been prescribed medicine that he claimed had serious side effects, especially when mixed with alcohol. It didn’t excuse his behavior, Carrigan said. Carter has made a commitment to deal with his alcohol problem, go to community college and seek medical treatment, he said.

McKee said Carter acknowledged physically assaulting the woman but he didn’t sexually assault her.

She did recover and medical records indicate there was no long-term damage, McKee said, though it does not excuse what happened. It was definitely and unquestionably a domestic violence assault, he said.

Carter addressed the court and apologized to the victim, and his and her families. He said he deeply regretted his behavior and apologized for his “heinous” actions.

“Today I am here to accept my punishment so all parties can move on,” Carter said.

He told the court he has admitted he has an alcohol problem and realizes this is only the first step in the road to recovery.

Instead of more jail time, he asked the court to challenge him to be a productive citizen.

dperry@sunjournal.com