Simeon Moutafov, an abused Bulgarian immigrant, has been sentenced to 19 years in jail by a judge in the US state of Illinois after being involved in a gun attack on a police officer.

20-year-old Moutafov, who lives in New Richmond, Ohio was sentenced to 19 years by Associate Judge James Hackett.

During the case it became clear that Moutafov had come from Bulgaria to Ohio, where he was beaten almost daily by his grandfather, the local Illinois newspaper The Telegraph reported.

Moutafov was accused of supplying weapons, stealing a car and being an accomplice of Michael Gilb, who shot and injured a police officer on July 7, while trying to escape in the stolen car.

Witnesses testified that Moutafov was a lonely young man because of his background and that Gilb, who was thought to be unstable, was the only friend he had.

Friends and family members said Moutafov's grandfather beat him almost every day and that his grandmother continually ridiculed him.

He was not allowed to smile in their presence or in the presence of anyone visiting the house, and once was tied to a chair for 48 hours and periodically beaten.

Moutafov apologized to the officers involved; "The police did their job. I am a criminal," he said.

Both Moutafov and Gilb have pleaded guilty in Madison County Circuit Court to aggravated battery with a firearm after originally being charged with attempted first-degree murder.