$2,500 cash bail comes with illegal contact charge

LACONIA — A city man is being held on $2,500 cash bail for allegedly returning to his wife's home after assaulting her on November 26.

City Prosecutor Jim Sawyer said Paul Dunham, 24, of 24 Cleveland Place allegedly called his wife on the day after he allegedly assaulted her and was ordered by the court to stay away from her.

Sawyer said he was charged for breach of bail and released on personal recognizance bail.

When he went by his wife's home and left her a voice mail, police arrested him and charged him with stalking and a second count of breach of bail.

"He knew he violated the rules, " said Sawyer who argued for the $2,500 cash bail Thursday in the 4th Circuit Court, Laconia Division.

Sawyer said police continue to investigate other possible breaches of bail.

Arguing for $500 cash, Public Defender Kate Geraci said Dunham would live with his grandmother and that the night he spent in jail waiting to appear in district court was the longest time he had ever spent in jail.

She said he would be hard pressed to raise $500.