BANGOR – A Glenburn man already serving time in jail for assaulting his girlfriend was sentenced to 81/2 years in prison with all but 16 months suspended Wednesday, for burning down his house.

Kenneth Lewis Crawford, 35, was convicted of arson last fall by a jury after burning down his one-story Ohio Street home Nov. 2, 1999, to collect the insurance money.

He was sentenced Wednesday by Chief Justice Andrew Mead in Penobscot County Superior Court. Mead also ordered Crawford to spend six years on probation after his release from prison.

Firefighters from four departments battled the early morning blaze that began in the kitchen.

Testimony given during the two-day trial by investigators for Crawford’s insurance company and State Fire Marshal’s Office showed Crawford started the fire with an accelerant to collect the insurance money.

In March, Superior Court Justice Frank Warren found Crawford guilty of Class D assault and violation of bail conditions and sentenced him to 11 months in jail for the assault and six months in jail for the bail violation to be served concurrently.

The assault and bail violation charges stemmed from a July 9 assault on his girlfriend.