A Beloit man will not face prison time for charges relating to the repeated sexual assault of a child he knows, in part because the victim asked the judge not to put him behind bars.

Instead, Rock County Judge Barbara McCrory agreed to withhold the sentence for 34-year-old Douglas Widmar and placed him on probation for seven years, with one year of conditional jail time.

During the sentencing hearing Monday afternoon, the victim asked that Widmar instead have the opportunity to continue therapy and rehabilitation for his alcohol addiction, which contributed to the crimes.

Assistant District Attorney Rich Sullivan argued for three years of prison to be followed by six years of extended supervision for what he described as grooming and manipulative behavior by Widmar.

“The law does not excuse sexual assaults of children because somebody was drinking,” Sullivan told the court. “It doesn’t take away the fact that he’s blaming the victim, who was 13, and leaving her the burden.”

Defense attorney Christopher Van Wagner noted Widmar was a very low risk to reoffend, and placing him in prison would have increased that risk.

He argued the felony conviction and sex offender registration will be part of the punishment, in addition to probation and jail time.