Corkman robbed belongings of vulnerable wheelchair user in 'nasty and despicable' act

Accused started spinning victim's wheelchair around and then grabbed two bags from his lap and ran off, court heard

Victim was an extremely vulnerable man who depended on his motorised wheelchair to get around and that he had physical and mental disabilities, court heard. File picture

A very vulnerable man was robbed of his belongings in Cork city centre as he sat in his wheelchair and the sentencing judge described it as an act of despicable thuggery as he jailed the culprit for three and a half years.

Judge James McCourt said: “The effect on the victim cannot be overstated. This happened in the middle of the day. It was despicable, demeaning and depraved. As you have gotten older you have descended into ever more nasty and despicable behaviour as evidenced by this crime."