Date: Fri 07-May-1999

Publication: Bee

Author: ANDYG

Quick Words:

nocturnal-intruder-crime

Full Text:

"Nocturnal Intruder" Sentencing Delayed

BY ANDREW GOROSKO

The Riverside man who was scheduled to be sentenced Wednesday in Danbury

Superior Court for a series of night-time Riverside burglaries with child

victims did not appear in court because he was a patient at the Danbury

Hospital psychiatric ward.

Defendant Kennith Northrop, 28, of 86 Alpine Drive, last winter accepted a

plea bargain agreement with the state which would send him to prison for

crimes committed in Riverside during the past two summers in the "nocturnal

intruder" case. Northrop entered homes late at night.

Northrop has pleaded "no contest," which results in a finding of "guilty," to

second-degree burglary for an August 5, 1997 incident; second-degree burglary

and fourth-degree sexual assault for a June 29, 1997 incident; and

third-degree criminal trespassing and breach of the peace for a June 23, 1998

incident.

The state is recommending a prison sentence of 15 years, suspended after three

years, plus five years probation. Mr Northrop's probation would require that

he stay away from his victims, be tested for AIDS, undergo sex offender

treatment and be registered as a sex offender.

Judge Patrick Carroll continued Mr Northrop's case until next Wednesday. "His

appearance is not excused at the next court date," Judge Carroll said.

Attorney Dennis McDonough, who represents Mr Northrop, acknowledged Mr

Northrop was in the Danbury Hospital psychiatric ward.

Mr McDonough said Judge Carroll will have the option of sentencing Northrop to

serve his sentence in prison or in Whiting Forensic Institution, if the judge

considers Whiting a better setting for Mr Northrup. Whiting is a hospital for

mentally ill offenders in Middletown.

The victims of the crimes will be able to offer comments to the judge at the

sentencing, if they choose.

The illegal night-time entries occurred in the area of Underhill Road,

Bankside Trail and Dock Drive. No physical injuries resulted from the

incidents, police have said.

In the break-ins, Mr Northrop would secretly enter homes and properties late

at night carrying vegetable oil with the intent of massaging young children.

The presence of vegetable oil at the crime scenes was the common link which

police used to connect Mr Northrop to the crimes.

The police investigation into the intrusions crystallized last summer, when on

June 23, 1998, at 2:52 am, police responded to a Dock Drive residence after

the homeowner informed them someone had entered a tent in the backyard where

children were camping out. The homeowner confronted and detained the intruder

who was later identified as Mr Northrop.