Judge Compliments One Defendant in Bethel Incest Case

When Tiffany Hartford appeared before Judge Joseph Doherty Friday, he took time during the hearing to review letters about Hartford from Danbury Hospital and the Western Connecticut Mental Health Network.

Hartford, 23, is accused of having a child with her father, George Sayers, 46. Sayers and Hartford were charged on Dec. 3 with obscenity, third-degree sexual assault and conspiracy to commit obscenity. In addition to have a child together, the father and daughter are also charged with making pornographic videos starring Hartford and another woman. Court records said the videos sold for $40 and still photographs sold for $5 each.

Public Defender Jeffrey Hutcoe said he has to review a lot of materials in the case, and he asked to continue the case to late January. The case was continued to Jan. 29.

Sayers is expected to appear in court after 2 p.m. Friday.

Judge Doherty told the court the letters he reviewed were complimentary to Miss Hartford, and he said he wanted to say that for the record. He said she should continue to be compliant with what the programs ask her to do.

Hartford appeared in blue jeans, a red shirt with a black windbreaker over it, a lip ring and black high heel shoes.

The two defendants were charged on Dec. 3. The case began when a woman, whose name was stricken from court records, told Bethel police she had been in a relationship with Hartford that began when she (the woman) was "16 or 17" and Hartford was 23. According to the woman, Sayers videotaped sexual encounters between the two and sold them.

According to court documents, Sayers and Hartford -- who both worked at area pizza restaurants -- identified at times as father and daughter, but told the woman they were husband and wife. Police interviewed the family at their home, allegedly shared by 10 relatives. According to reports, a relative allegedly told them, "Tiffany is his girlfriend, but we also think that she is his daughter." Relatives also told police the two have a child together, according to documents.