Pensioner assaults warrant 5-year jail term, says mayor

There needs to be a mandatory five-year jail sentence for anyone found guilty of assaulting an elderly person Metropolitan Mayor of Limerick, Jerry O’Dea has urged after two pensioners in the city were viciously beaten and robbed.

A man in his 20s is being questioned by gardaí investigating the attacks on the two pensioners, both happening less than a week apart.

The first attack occurred in broad daylight last Thursday when an 80-year old man had his head “split open” by two men in the cubicle of the public toilets at the Roxboro Shopping Centre. The victim had taken out money from an ATM machine at the shopping centre seconds before the two men struck. The elderly man was taken to University Hospital Limerick where he received stitches across his head.

The second attack took place last Sunday when a woman in her 80s was set upon by a man as she returned from a bingo session to her home in Rosbrien around 6.30pm. The man lay in wait at the woman’s house, waited as she got out of a taxi and went to open her front door, before he grabbed her and dragged her to the rear of her home. The man subjected the elderly woman to a horrific assault.

He threatened the woman, rifled through her coat and ransacked her handbag before fleeing with only €20 in cash. She is being treated at University Hospital Limerick for serious injuries.

A man is being held under Section Four of the Criminal Justice Act in connection with both attacks. However, gardaí believe he may have been acting with an accomplice who is still at large.

The Fianna Fáil councillor said his party had put forward the sentencing plan to the Government but their proposal has not been acted upon.

“I was shocked and saddened. I believe the lady was coming home from bingo. She got a taxi to her house and from between getting out of the taxi and going to her front door she was assaulted. Obviously someone was lying in wait for her. I believe all she had was €20,” said Mr O’Dea.

“The elderly in our community are some of the most vulnerable and they deserve to go about their lives without fear of attack or assault. It’s not right this happens in our city in this day and age,” he added.

Mr O’Dea said he would back his party’s proposed bill to jail for five years anyone convicted of assaulting an old person.

“It’s these type of crimes that are causing distress to all concerned. There should be a mandatory five-year sentence for assaults on elderly people, that’s the kind of sentence we need,” the Mayor said.

I’m a member of the council’s joint policing committee, and I’ll be calling for a full debrief on why these crimes are happening.”

He added: “And if Garda resources are needed then we have to get them. In fairness to gardaí they are working very well with resources they have, they are targeting crime and anti social behaviour.

“We’ve lost 100 gardaí since we had [gangland] troubles years ago.”