A 52-year-old Picton man has been sentenced to six years in prison after pleading guilty to a violent domestic assault.

Paul King entered guilty pleas on Tuesday to aggravated assault, assault with a weapon (wooden objects), use of a firearm while committing an offence (rifle), administering a noxious substance (brake cleaning fluid) and breach of recognizance.

The matter began with a preliminary hearing on Tuesday and Hastings County assistant Crown Attorney Adam Zegouras said it concluded with King entering guilty pleas.

The charges stem from an incident on Feb. 8 where Prince Edward OPP was called to a domestic assault and the victim was then airlifted to a Kingston hospital with life-threatening injuries.

At the time of King's arrest, he was charged with attempted murder, breach of recognizance, using violence to prevent a person from receiving medical care, forcible confinement, failing to provide necessaries of life, administer noxious thing with intent to endanger life or cause bodily harm (four counts), uttering threats to cause death or bodily harm, assault with a weapon, overcome resistance by administering or attempting to administer a drug, assault (two counts) and using a firearm while committing offence.

As a result of King's pleas and discussions between counsel, there was a joint submission that he receives a six-year prison sentence.  As a result of time already served and given the restrictions because of COVID Judge Geoffrey Griffin gave him slightly more than the statutory 1.5:1 credit of his pretrial custody.  King got further credit of 249 days for his pretrial custody. Eighteen months was given for King's pre-trial custody and Judge Geoffrey Griffin ordered him to spend another 4 and a half years behind bars.

King was also ordered to provide his DNA, given a lifetime weapons prohibition and ordered not to communicate with a number of individuals while in jail.