City man begins prison stint in DV assault, threat case

Sean Sardinha (Rochester Police photo)

DOVER - The Rochester man who threatened his girlfriend with a screwdriver and then strangled her badly enough to impede her breathing will spend three and a half to 10 years in a New Hampshire state prison.

Sean Sardinha, 27, of 20 Winter St., pleaded guilty on Monday to three felony charges for violating parole, second degree assault and criminal threatening in connection with the April 6 domestic violence incident that occurred in Rochester.

Sardinha got the jail time for violation of probation, but also faces one and a half to five years in prison for the second degree strangling assault if he doesn't successfully complete a drug court program once he finishes the initial sentence.

In addition he'll have hanging over him a three and a half- to seven-year sentence for criminal threatening with the screwdriver. That sentence will be suspended for 10 years upon his release.

According to court documents Sardinha strangled the victim by "applying pressure" to the victim's neck that "impeded breathing and blood circulation" and threatened her with a screwdriver, a deadly weapon.

Sardinha was indicted on the DV charges on June 16.