Attacker of Muslim Conn. Dem Rep. Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison

(Teresa Crawford/AP)

A Connecticut man who attacked Democrat state Rep. Maryam Khan outside a Muslim prayer service last year has been sentenced to five years in prison.

Andrey Desmond, 31, attempted to sexually assault Khan as she was departing with her family from a prayer service observing Eid al-Adha at the XL Center in Hartford, the New York Daily News reported Wednesday.

Desmond made a lewd comment to her while she was taking pictures with her family and then slapped her, put her in a chokehold and threw her to the ground as he also tried to grope her, demanding a kiss.

Khan is the first Muslim to serve in Connecticut’s House of Representatives. She suffered a concussion, as well as an injured right arm and shoulder from the attack, The Hill reported.

“I’m glad that this has come to a close,” Khan said after the sentencing Tuesday, NBC News Connecticut reported. “I look forward to putting this behind me and moving forward.”

Earlier this year, Desmond pleaded guilty to the charges and his lawyer told the court his client has since been placed on medication for several mental health disorders, including for schizophrenia.

Desmond is “very regretful for what happened,” his defense attorney reportedly said. “He is so sorry that he caused pain for the totally decompensated that schizophrenia had taken over.”

Khan said the person who attacked her illustrates the problems there are within the mental health system, telling NBC News Connecticut, “unfortunately, this is a result of some of those lacks, so I’m glad to be in a position to have the ability to be able to do some stuff about that” as a state representative.