Booth used a cane to walk to the front of the courtroom, where he spoke during Monday’s sentencing.
“This guy here doesn’t need to be on the streets. He’s rotten and dirty,” Booth said, pointing his cane at Tester, who was handcuffed and shackled. “He threw a brick through the window and hit me in the head with it.”
Tester told the judge and Booth, “I would like to offer an apology.”
“I don’t know why we were even there … it was like a nightmare,” Tester said.
Butler County Common Pleas Judge Patricia Oney sentenced Tester to seven years in prison. He faced up to 10 years.
Booth also told the judge that Peck’s actions were different.
“He didn’t do as much as the others did,” Booth said. “He wasn’t in the house as long.”
Oney gave Peck a sentence of six years in prison.
“If it were not for this gentleman here, you would be going away for seven years also,” Oney told Peck, referring to Booth’s statement.
After the hearing, Peck’s mother quietly approached Booth and thanked him for what he said about her son, knowing it meant a lesser sentence.
Booth, who said he has made 14 trips to court since October, said he was glad the whole ordeal was over.
“I just hope they don’t come back,” he said.
Russell Bumgardner, 28, the third man convicted in the attack, was sentenced in May to seven years in prison.
Middletown police and prosecutors say the men indicated they planned to steal a four-wheeler in West Middletown, but when that fell through they returned to Middletown where Tester began kicking the back door of Booth’s house. He then picked up a brick and threw it, striking Booth.
The trio committed the crime to get money for heroin, according to police and prosecutors.
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