BLOOMINGTON - A former middle school principal will spend 30 nights in the county jail after being sentenced for illegally entering a Normal town house earlier this year.

Eric Hutt, who was principal of Tri-Valley Middle School before resigning following a domestic incident last year, will never work or teach at a school again after his recent felony conviction.

Hutt, 49, was convicted in August of criminal trespass to a residence after a woman found him inside her Normal town house.

Judge Scott Drazewski sentenced Hutt to two and half years of probation and 180 days in jail. Hutt will have to serve 30 days of the jail sentence up front.

Assistant State's Attorney Jane Foster said the former principal will be allowed to report to his job at a Peoria sporting goods store during the day while spending nights in jail.

Foster said police do not know why Hutt broke into the home of two college-aged women who lived near him in Normal.

During his trial, Hutt said he was investigating a strange noise when he entered the town house and hid in a bedroom after one of the women returned home.

Hutt was convicted of two counts of domestic battery after breaking into his ex-girlfriend's home and beating her last year.

As part of the plea agreement in that case, Hutt surrendered his teaching certificate until 2008. Foster said the recent felony conviction will keep him from ever teaching again under Illinois law.