A Moldovan national has been jailed for sexually assaulted a 91-year-old woman in her home just 5 months after arriving in Ireland.
The assailant had previous offences in Italy before he came to Ireland, being convicted of carrying weapons, theft and damage to public property. He was sentenced to over two years in jail in Italy, though it is unclear if this sentence was served.
Man (37) jailed for sexual assault of 91-year-old woman https://t.co/Qk4UseMQ9e
— The Irish Times (@IrishTimes) January 25, 2022
More recently, the accused pleaded guilty at Waterford Circuit Court last year to sexual assault, burglary and assaulting a police officer in the course of duty. He has since been sentenced to 7 and a half years in prison.
Originally from Moldova, he came to Ireland via Italy, and was in the country for just 5 months at the time of the assault.
According to the victim’s carer, in July 2021, there was a series of loud bangs at almost 3:00 a.m. at night. After checking the house’s monitor, the carer saw a man at the front door, at which point she called the police.
The carer told the man to “get out” 21 times during a call with a Garda Detective, informing the man that police were on the way.
“He’s trying to get in. He’s half way in the window. He’s in the house,” the carer said during the recorded phonecall.
Ultimately, the man reportedly entered the room of the elderly woman, pulled the blankets off her bed and hiked her night dress up to her shoulders.
The elderly victim said she had “curled up in a ball terrified” and that she realised the man wanted to harm her “in a sexual way.”
Ultimately, after a struggle with the elderly woman, police arrived, at which point the attacker began to fight the officers, knocking one Garda to the ground and putting him in a headlock. At this point, officers used pepper spray and batons to subdue the assailant.
After restraining the woman’s attacker, police discovered blood on the woman’s bed, at which point she was taken to University Hospital Waterford. Doctors discovered significant injuries, including bruising on her neck, forearm, leg, and hand. Her wounds later became infected and have reportedly not fully-recovered yet.