ROCKLAND — A Union man who was arrested by Maine State Police Nov. 17 and charged with assaulting his girlfriend and her two children at the home he shares with them, made his first court appearance Nov. 18 in Knox County Unified Court.

Jessie Tirrell, 27, was charged with two counts of aggravated assault, and one count each of domestic violence assault and unlawful sexual contact, according to a news release from the Maine Department of Public Safety. Detectives were called after an 18-month-old girl was taken to Pen Bay Medical Center in Rockport with a broken arm. 

As detectives began investigating, they discovered the child's five-year-old sister also had been assaulted, as well as the children's mother, the release said.  

According to the affidavit filed in court by the State Police, Detectives Quintero and Sweeney found during their investigation at the hospital that besides the fractured arm, the 18-month-old child had “petechial hemorrhaging” on her neck from strangulation. Tirrell confessed to police that he caused the neck injuries by having his hands around the child’s neck for about a minute.

Tirrell initially admitted to police that the child fell off an air mattress, but in a subsequent interview he admitted that he caused the fracture one or two months ago when he became frustrated while changing the toddler’s diapers.

He also admitted to prior incidents of domestic violence with the child’s mother, and sexually touching the five-year-old girl in the home on two separate occasions and watching child pornography on his phone, according to the affidavit.

He told police that “he doesn’t know his own strength” and has “anger issues.”

The District Attorney’s Office filed a notice in court Nov. 18 that at this time they will not be prosecuting Tirrell for the sexual contact charge since that investigation is still ongoing.

Judge Susan Sparaco set Tirrell’s bail at $25,000 cash. He remains at the Knox County Jail.

Tirrell will appear in court again on Feb. 13.

Reach Sarah Shepherd at news@penbaypilot.com