OAP attacked by drug addict in church raid Robert, 80, kicked and punched as he tried to stop charity box theft
AN OAP was attacked by a heroin addict when he tried to stop him stealing from a church collection box, a court heard yesterday.
Volunteer Robert Duggan, 80, noticed David O’donovan was breaking into the charity container in March.
He appealed for him to stop, emphasising he was in a “house of God”.
O’donovan said, “F*ck you and f*ck the church” before counting from four to one and kicking Mr Duggan in the groin.
Glasses worn by the pensioner, who volunteers in the sacristy in St Augustine’s Church in Grand Parade, Cork, were knocked off when he fell to the ground.
O’donovan stamped on them and punched his victim in the left eye.
Cork Circuit Criminal Court heard a Polish woman attending Mass came to the assistance of Mr Duggan and the attacker fled the scene.
O’donovan was arrested a short time later and taken to the Bridewell Garda station where officers had to suspend their interview for a period and call a doctor as the accused was not fit to answer questions.
The court was told O’donovan, who is homeless, had previously pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to Mr St Augustine’s Church in Cork Duggan. It also heard the pensioner had to wait at Mercy University Hospital for seven hours without treatment.
Gda Padraig Harrington said he personally contacted hospital management to explain what happened and Mr Duggan was examined soon afterwards.
The court heard O’donovan is originally from Monkstown in Co Cork and comes from a “respectable family”.
Gda Harrington said the defendant has 22 previous convictions, all of which he has incurred from the age of 32.
Most are for public order offences and begging and he has no history of violence.
Gda Harrington said what particularly concerned him was the assault continued even as Mr Duggan was on the ground.
Judge Sean O’donnabhain was told it was O’donovan’s first offence before the Circuit Court and the 41-year-old expressed remorse for the assault through his barrister.
The defendant, who is currently on methadone, was said to have been “surprised by his actions”.
Meanwhile, Mr Duggan said in a victim impact statement he had come across people on drink and drugs at the city centre church before but never any behaviour of this kind.
The pensioner added his confidence was knocked by the assault but he loved his volunteer work at the church.
Judge O’donnabhain said it was a “violent and cowardly attack”.
Sentencing was adjourned until November 23 pending the furnishing of reports in the case.