KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A man accused of taking a baseball bat to his girlfriend’s head in a Liberty motel room last December was sentenced to six years in prison on Friday.
However, if he’s able to obey the judge’s orders, after shock time he may not spend any additional time behind bars.
Austin McCauley, 20, agreed to plead guilty to domestic assault. His plea agreement would have given him credit for time served. He essentially would have walked out free this afternoon with just probation to serve.
But the Clay County judge was not happy with McCauley for what he called a gross contempt of the court. After he was charged, McCauley was released on his own recognizance under one condition. He was to have no contact with victim Amber Taylor.
However, police say the two did have contact. In April, McCauley was again accused of assaulting Taylor. Police say he choked her until she was unconscious after a night of drinking. Charges in that case were filed in Jackson County this week.
You might remember McCauley’s girlfriend, Amber Taylor, 23, posted pictures to facebook after she was beaten, telling facebookers that her boyfriend hit her in the head with a baseball bat. Her post and picture went viral.
In court Friday, Taylor made an emotional plea asking the court to impose the maximum sentence for her safety and her son’s safety.
McCauley will spend four months in ‘shock’ incarceration.
If there are no problems during that time, he will be released and serve the rest of his sentence on probation.
Part of his sentencing again ordered McCauley to not have contact with Amber Taylor for five years.