AUGUSTA — For stabbing his estranged wife 10 times and leaving her with scars around her hairline, David N. Delesline, 45, of Augusta, will spend five to 10 years in prison.

His final sentence will be determined at a hearing in April in Kennebec County Superior Court.

Delesline pleaded guilty Tuesday to elevated aggravated assault in the June 9, 2013, attack on Amy L. Delesline, and attorneys told the judge that they had a plea agreement to cap the sentence at 16 years in prison, with five to 10 years of that to be served initially.

Defense attorney Scott Hess told the judge he will be arguing that Delesline’s final sentence should be less than that.

Assistant District Attorney Joelle Pratt also said Amy Delesline supports the maximum sentence and indicated she wanted to attend that hearing. She was not in the courtroom Tuesday.

Pratt added that she will be disfigured permanently as a result of scars from the attack.

Advertisement

Pratt told Justice Michaela Murphy the Deleslines had been together three to four years and were in the process of getting a divorce when the stabbing occurred.

She said Amy Delesline, now 36, had let her estranged husband stay at her apartment on York Street in Augusta for several days after he came to her and said he was homeless and had been living at a shelter.

However, she had told him to leave earlier on June 9, Pratt said. Delesline went out but then returned while she was on the phone and began to stab her.

Police found a trail of blood leading from the apartment when they arrived and blood on the apartment floor.

According to a report by Augusta police, two children at home at the time were awakened by sounds of a struggle and one told police he saw his mother running out the front door calling for help.

Amy Delesline was taken by LifeFlight to Central Maine Medical Center for treatment of her injuries.

Advertisement

David Delesline was arrested three days after the stabbing and charged with elevated aggravated assault and aggravated assault. The latter charge was dismissed Tuesday in exchange for the guilty plea.

Hess told the judge that Delesline had undergone a forensic evaluation for a possible criminal responsibility/abnormal condition of mind defense because Delesline was highly intoxicated at the time of the attack.

Conditions of probation already agreed to by the attorneys include a ban on use of drugs and alcohol and mental health screening and counseling.

Betty Adams — 621-5631

badams@centralmaine.com

Twitter: @betadams


Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.

Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.