Video game obsessive jailed for park attack

A YOUNG mother walking with her 21-month-old son was attacked by a man obsessed with playing violent video games and who often imagined he was a wrestler called the ‘Undertaker’, Dundalk Circuit Court heard yesterday.

Edmund Stepe, aged 23, a Latvian national with an address at Castle Road, Dundalk, pleaded guilty to charges of robbery and assault with intent to cause bodily harm contrary to section 18 of the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act 1994 at Marshes, north Dundalk on March 31, 2009.

The court was told the woman had been pushing her son in a buggy at St Helena’s Park when a man cycled past her on several occasions before jumping off his bike, lunging at her, knocking her to the ground and grabbing her by the throat.

The toddler was knocked from the buggy, suffered a cut to his head and lay screaming on the ground while his mother screamed and tried to fight off her attacker.

The man was grunting and laughing and seemed to enjoy it the more terrified she became, she told gardaí. He only released her when she said she had money.

The victim recognised her attacker in a shop the following day and he was subsequently arrested.

The court heard that while he had told gardaí he had wanted the money to buy an Xbox game, Stepe could give no coherent reason for the attack, but that from time to time his mind was gone and he imagined himself to be a wrestler, which accounted for the grunting noise.

He also admitted trying to kiss the woman and having the sexual intention of trying to touch her breasts.

The woman was still traumatised by her ordeal and afraid of being on her own in open spaces.

The court heard that the accused had the reading and writing age of an eight-year-old but was not suffering from any psychotic disorder, according to a report prepared by a forensic psychiatrist.

Judge Michael O’Shea said Stepe had effectively stalked his victim before subjecting her to a frightening and horrific ordeal.

Stepe was jailed for two years.