Outonalimb, you've given this a lot of careful thought. Perhaps the usefulness of having to decide to go or not go to his sentencing is actually in that thought process, not in whether you show up at the Court sentencing or not.
You are making peace with the fact that you did what you needed to do for yourself and your son when you filed the charges, testified, and wrote up your victim's statement. Reading the statement aloud will not change his outcome with the Court. Your part is done.
What happens next happens to him, and you don't need to be there to see or get involved with his response to the consequences of his own actions. You don't need to see him listen to the sentencing, gesture, try to make eye contact, or anything. He's on his own and that is just and fair.
Your life is yours now!
What a long difficult journey to get here. Kudos to you for staying the course. You are an inspiration to us all.
ShootingStar1