Cashman lengthens sentence for child rapist

Here’s update to this story, where a Judge in Vermont sentenced an admitted child rapist to a mere 60 days in prison:

BURLINGTON, Vt. – A judge who was widely vilified after sentencing a man to just 60 days in jail for sexually abusing a child said Thursday he would increase that sentence to at least three years.

Judge Edward Cashman said he felt he could impose the longer sentence now because the state had agreed to provide treatment to the man while he is behind bars.

Originally, the state had said such treatment would not come until after the man had served his time.

Mark Hulett, 34, had pleaded guilty to charges that he had sexual contact with a girl during a four-year period beginning when she was 6.

At the original sentencing, Cashman said the best way to ensure public safety was to get Hulett out of prison so he could receive sex offender treatment. Because the Corrections Department concluded that Hulett wasn’t likely to reoffend, he wouldn’t be eligible to receive sex-offender treatment until he reached the end of his jail term.

It’s not much, but it’s better than 60 days.