Man denies punching hole in Monet painting

The trial has begun of a man accused of knocking a hole through a Claude Monet oil-painting at the National Gallery of Ireland, causing €7m worth of criminal damage.

Andrew Shannon, 48, is accused of putting his hand through Argenteuil Basin with a Single Sailboat, Ireland’s only painting by the French impressionist. The painting dates from 1874 and is valued at about €10m.

Mr Shannon of Willans Way, Ongar, Dublin 15, told two tourists who witnessed the incident he had “felt faint” and collapsed onto the painting.