During his sentencing Thursday for assaulting two women, a former Farrell man called Mercer County Common Pleas Court Judge Thomas R. Dobson a "dumbass cracker" and had to be restrained by sheriff's deputies.

Charles D. Norris, 30, made a move toward Dobson after the judge sentenced him to 12 to 29 years in state prison. Deputies quickly stepped in to keep Norris under control.

Norris was convicted Jan. 17 of aggravated assault, two counts of simple assault and reckless endangerment for throwing hot cooking grease on Crystal Bailey of Farrell in September. Besides burning her, he punched her in the face.

Also in January, a different jury found Norris guilty of making terroristic threats, simple assault and reckless endangerment for a December 2001 attack on Rhanada McHenry at a bar on Roemer Boulevard in Farrell.

During the sentencing hearing, Ms. Bailey told the judge about her split chin, second- and third-degree burns and skin grafts. "It has changed my life forever," she said, describing the damage to her side and breasts from the hot oil.

After she testified, Dobson told Norris, "No one deserved this."

Norris tried to break in, but Dobson said, "Be quiet. This is my time."

Dobson told Norris that while the state sets minimum and maximum sentencing guidelines, "your victim knows no minimum or maximum."

He sentenced Norris to 10 to 20 years for aggravated assault, a sentence higher than the maximum guidelines. Norris, the judge said, was on parole for a previous crime when he attacked Bailey, and that justified the harsher sentence.

Dobson also handed down 9 to 24 months for each of the simple assault charges and 9 months to 5 years for making terroristic threats. The charges of reckless endangerment were absorbed into the assault charges.

In all, Norris must serve 12 years and 3 months before he has a chance for parole. He did receive credit for time served.

"I won't serve it," he told Dobson.

"Yes you will," Dobson said, adding Norris would probably serve the entire balance of his sentence.

As Dobson read Norris his sentence, Ms. Bailey sat in the courtroom, smiling and sobbing with joy. "This is not an end," said Ms. Bailey. "This is a new beginning for me. Finally I can sleep at night."