Bennett sentenced to 15 years for park attack

A man charged with two separate crimes at Freeman Lake Park was sentenced to prison Tuesday.

Kenneth R. Bennett was sentenced to 15 years in prison for attempting to rape a woman in Freeman Lake Park in August 2010.

Bennett also pleaded guilty to second-degree arson in 2009 for a fire that damaged the Lincoln Heritage House in the same park. The 15-year sentence will run consecutively with a 10-year sentence he received for the arson charge.

The 10-year sentence originally was probated as part of a plea deal for the arson. The court and attorneys agreed that the case be probated for five years on a condition that Bennett enrolled in, and successfully completed, Hardin County’s Mental Health Court program. The length of Bennett’s enrollment in Mental Health Court was 36 months, according to court filings.

Circuit Judge Ken Howard on Tuesday sentenced Bennett to 15 years for an attempted rape charge, and seven years for an assault charge, which will run concurrently.

Howard said Bennett’s assessment showed he posed a medium to high risk of re-offending and posed a danger to public safety.

In August, Bennett encountered the victim at the park and spoke with her for a few minutes before striking her several times on the head with a bicycle handle and pulling a knife on her. The woman was able to escape.
Bennett had in a bag with him a knife, ball gag, handcuffs, rope, tape, a bandanna and condoms.

Bennett was credited with 14 days served.

Kelly Cantrall can be reached at (270) 505-1747 or kcantrall@thenewsenterprise.com.