Teenager jailed for attack on pregnant woman

A teenager who punched a pregnant woman in the face and knocked her to the ground as she walked home from work in Cork city has been jailed for two years for the unprovoked attack.

Shane Purcell (19) from Seminary Court, Blackpool in Cork pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to the pregnant woman as she walked along Princes Street in Cork city at 7pm on Sunday, November 29th 2015.

Det Garda Ian Coughlan told Cork Circuit Criminal Court that the injured party was walking home from work when three youths approached her on Princes Street and one of them punched her.

“In a completely unprovoked assault she was attacked and knocked to the ground. She was six months pregnant at the time – she suffered bruising to her left thigh,” said Det Garda Coughlan.

The assault was seen by a number of witnesses who followed the three youths through a number of city streets and gardaí were alerted and were able to identify the youths on CCTV.

Det Garda Coughlan said gardaí called to Purcell’s home and in the course of a search they found clothing matching that which he had worn on the night and that had been clearly seen on the CCTV.

He initially denied the assault to gardaí, claiming he had been at a christening but he later admitted his actions when he was shown CCTV footage which clearly showed him in the area at the time.

Separate assault

Purcell also pleaded guilty to a separate assault causing harm to a 58-year-old man whom he attacked at Farran Street in Blackpool on the evening of April 11th, 2016

The man had come out of his house to ask a group of youths to quieten down when Purcell went over and hit him over the head with a crutch and the man was only saved by the intervention of a passerby.

Det Sgt Kieran O’Sullivan said that gardaí found a crutch at Purcell’s house with blood which matched that of the victim and after an initial denial, Purcell admitted the assault.

Det Sgt O’Sullivan agreed with defence barrister Niamh Stewart BL that Purcell had a problem with drink but he said that bravado was also a contributory factor when he was with a group.

Judge Gerard O’Brien heard that Purcell had 44 previous convictions but he said that both attacks were particularly alarming and were worrying in that they marked an escalation in his misbehaving.

He noted that Purcell had lost two of his brothers in tragic circumstances but that was no excuse for assaulting innocent people as many people suffered tragedy but did not assault people.

He said the attack on the pregnant woman minding her own business was particularly alarming as he sentenced Purcell to three years in jail but suspended the final 12 months.