WAILUKU — A Maui man was sentenced Jan. 22 to six years in prison for abusing and sexually assaulting a woman, in what a deputy prosecutor called a “textbook case” of domestic violence.

Noa Harrisson, 21, was sentenced as a young adult defendant, resulting in a sentence shorter than the 10-year prison term he could have faced.

The sentence was in line with a plea agreement reached after consulting with the victim and her family, said Deputy Prosecutor J.W. Hupp.

“They were really torn,” he said. “They feel he needs to be incarcerated, he needs to spend time to really get a handle on what’s going on with him. But they also felt compassion for him, and they really didn’t want to ‘ruin’ his life.

“They wanted him to have the opportunity. But they’re fearful because he hasn’t gotten it.”

In three criminal cases, Harrisson had pleaded no contest to felony abuse, second-degree sexual assault, abuse and violating an order for protection.

The felony abuse and sexual assault occurred in the early morning of Dec. 26, 2019, when Harrisson was upset with the victim after she spent Christmas Day with family members, Hupp said.

“He abused her, strangled her, hit her,” Hupp said. “He basically beat her into submission.”

After police were called, Harrisson tried to persuade officers to release him so he could talk to the victim, Hupp said.

Harrisson violated a court order for protection obtained by the woman by repeatedly calling and sending text messages to her, Hupp said.

“It’s a textbook case about domestic violence, about somebody who’s exercising control over the situation,” Hupp said.

He said the woman described another time when she had gone with Harrisson abroad after he was recruited to play soccer. He got angry and put his hands on her neck, Hupp said.

“He didn’t really strangle her, but it was enough to make her afraid,” Hupp said. “It was enough to immediately get a plane ticket to come home.”

The two incidents were similar “except the second one was much more violent and much more detrimental to her,” Hupp said.

“It’s really, really affected her life,” he said.

Harrisson declined to speak in court.

He had written a letter apologizing to the woman, said his attorney, Chris Dunn.

Second Circuit Judge Richard Bissen followed a plea agreement in sentencing Harrisson.

He was ordered to serve one-year jail terms for abuse and violating an order of protection at the same time. He also was ordered to serve a four-year prison term for felony abuse and five-year prison term for second-degree sexual assault at the same time but after he completes the one year.

He was ordered to pay $720 in restitution.

* Lila Fujimoto can be reached at lfujimoto@mauinews.com.