Sex attacker ran away when tourist slapped him

A 58-year-old man grabbed an English woman visitor by the buttocks as she walked along a road in Cork City, but she slapped him across the face and he ran away.

He later denied the sex assault claiming it was a Special Branch set-up and the woman had been paid to testify against him.

The victim of the sexual assault yesterday went to the trouble and expense of flying to Cork to give evidence in the trial of Patrick Vaughan of Oaklodge, Douglas Road, Cork.

However, he pleaded guilty yesterday at Cork District Court. Detective Garda Ian Coughlan said the injured party, in her 40s, was visiting Cork on May 9, 2014, and was on her way from Cork City to where she was staying in the Douglas area. After passing St Finbarr’s hospital she was stopped at traffic lights when she was grabbed from behind.

She slapped the man across the face and he stumbled over and as he got up, she slapped him a second time. Vaughan said to her: “I apologise. I am schizophrenic.” He ran off.

She gave a description to gardaí. They went to Vaughan’s home and he accepted responsibility. However, later, he said he was not compos mentis at the time he made the admission.

Inspector John Deasy said Vaughan claimed he had been set up by the Special Branch. Defence solicitor Diane Hallahan said the claim gave some indication of the accused man’s state of mind. She said no one could explain his behaviour.

Judge Aingil Ní Chondúin said: “It was an awful frightening thing. She did not know what was going to happen next. She was a stranger coming to visit.”

Det Garda Coughlan said Vaughan was convicted of two previous sexual assaults in 2004.

Judge Ní Chondúin adjourned the case until Wednesday, and requested the assistance of a medical report.