Man appears in court over alleged sexual assault in Fermoy park
Moldovan national Vadim Veste at Fermoy District Court where he was charged with assault causing harm and sexual assault. Picture: Cork Courts Limited
A man who allegedly grabbed a woman from behind while she was out walking, dragged her to the ground, stuffed a hat in her mouth and tried to sexually assault her in Fermoy, Co Cork, was “caught red handed” and has been remanded in custody.
Vadim Veste, aged 27, of 39 Clancy St, Fermoy, appeared in a special sitting of Fermoy District Court this morning charged with sexual assault and assault causing harm following the alleged incident on Sunday evening after 6pm at St Colman's Park.
He was carrying a 4in hunting knife which he had “no reasonable excuse” to carry at the time of his arrest, Fermoy District Court heard.
Garda Dave Barry, who arrested Mr Veste on Wednesday, said the “evidence was very strong" against him.
“The injured party, a female in her 50s, was sexually assaulted and assaulted while out walking her dog alone on Sunday evening in St Colman’s Park at approximately 6.40pm in an unprovoked attack,” he said.
“It is alleged that Vadim Veste, who is unknown to the injured party, pulled the female to the ground from behind by placing his hands over her shoulder and her mouth and pulling her backwards into a dark, unlit part of the walkway.
“It is alleged that he punched her in the face, held her to the ground and kneeled on her body.
“It is alleged that a woolly item, believed to be a hat, was placed in the injured party’s mouth.”
But the injured party fought back and kicked out at the accused, marking his face, neck, and hands.
The assault continued and Mr Veste allegedly placed his hand in the injured party’s mouth, causing harm to her gums and lips, the court heard.
Two other walkers heard her cries for help and as they approached, Mr Veste fled the scene, Garda Barry said.
Mr Veste, a Moldovan national, has been in Ireland for less than one year. He arrived in December 2020 and began work locally in April of this year.
He has lived with his mother in Fermoy town just 200m from one entrance to St Colman’s Park where the assault is alleged to have occurred.
He also lives close to the injured party, who Garda Barry said has been traumatised and terrified by the attack.
She has been unable to sleep properly and has needed medical attention, he said.
DNA was recovered from under the nails of the injured party which is a profile match of Vadim Veste, Garda Barry said.
The accused also admitted during a garda interview to an altercation that night.
A file is being prepared for the DPP and other serious charges are recommended, Garda Barry said.
Judge Alec Gabbett remanded Mr Veste in custody.
Mr Veste sat silently throughout the proceedings with an interpreter.
As it is a sexual assault case, the identity of the injured party must be protected, Judge Gabbett said.
The State objected to bail.
Garda Barry said that he had “serious concerns” that the accused, who has a wife and children in Moldova, had “no ties to this jurisdiction” and would leave the country if released on bail.
He was also concerned that the accused may interfere with a number of witnesses, including the injured party.
Daithí O’Donnabháin, defending, argued that the accused’s travel documents — a Moldovan and a Romanian passport — had been taken by gardaí so it would not be feasible to leave the country.
He said that his client had co-operated fully with gardaí since his arrest and had not come to their attention previously.
Garda Barry said the State was not only objecting to bail on the possibility alone that Mr Veste may leave Ireland.
The seriousness of the charges was another concern.
He said that it was allegedly a "totally unprovoked attack” on a woman out for a Sunday walk alone.
If bail was grated, Mr Veste may commit similar offences of a similarly serious nature, Garda Barry said.
"No bail conditions will satisfy me," he said.
"The injured party is very traumatised and in fear."
If convicted, Mr Veste may face up to five years in prison on each of the two charges, the court heard.
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