Ghana man gets reduced charge, avoids jail time

In exchange for accepting a plea deal, a Ghana native originally facing serious sexual assault charges was spared both prison time and probation.

During a hearing in Hartford Superior Court Friday, Isaac Koomson, 43, most recently of Goslee Drive in Manchester, was found guilty of a single reduced charge of third-degree assault. He initially faced a string of charges including first-degree sexual assault and first-degree kidnapping.

The plea agreement calls for no prison sentence or probation, but mandates that he serve three years’ conditional discharge — meaning he must comply with a set of court-ordered conditions. Koomson was given a one-year suspended sentence.

Manchester police arrested Koomson in September after claims surfaced that he beat, tied up, and sexually assaulted a woman he knew.

The victim told officers Koomson began beating her back in late 2005. In December of that year, she said, Koomson became angry during a conversation and hit her, tied her up with rope, and placed tape across her mouth. He came back and untied her some 20 minutes later, she added.

Police say she claimed to be pregnant at the time of the incident.

About a year later, the victim contended Koomson sexually assaulted her by pinning her to a bed and forcing himself on her while slapping and punching her at the same time.

The responding officer in the latter incident reported finding no markings or bruises on her and said she had no injuries. No evidence was obtainable, court documents show.

The woman originally was denied a restraining order when she applied for one at Vernon Superior Court because she was found to be untruthful, Koomson’s lawyer has said.

She obtained a protective order against Koomson in July 2007 after describing to police the “ongoing emotional and physical abuse” she suffered, according to court documents.