An 80-year-old church volunteer was kicked in the groin by a heroin addict who then stamped on his glasses and punched him in the eye.

Cork Circuit Criminal Court heard that David O’Donovan, who is homeless, had previously pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to Robert Duggan.

Mr Duggan, who volunteers in the sacristy in St Augustine’s Church, Grand Parade, Cork, noticed that Mr O’Donovan was breaking in to the charity collection box at 8.30pm on March 24th last. He appealed to O’Donovan to cease his actions emphasising he was in a “House of God”.

O’Donovan said “F*ck you and F*ck the church” before counting from four to one and then kicking the pensioner in the groin. The glasses worn by the pensioner were knocked off when he fell to the ground.

His assailant stamped the glasses which were on the ground and punched the elderly man in to the left eye.

The court heard that a Polish woman attending mass came to the assistance of Mr Duggan. The man fled the scene.

O’Donovan was arrested a short time later and taken to the Bridewell Garda Station in Cork where gardaí had to suspend their interview for a period and call a doctor as the accused was not fit to answer questions.

Garda Padraig Harrington said Mr Duggan went to the Mercy University Hospital for treatment but left without having been seen seven hours later. When the garda heard what had happened he contacted management at the hospital and Mr Duggan was seen to immediately for minor facial injuries.

O’Donovan is originally from Monkstown in Co Cork and hails from a “respectable family”.

Garda Harrington said O’Donovan has 22 previous convictions all of which he has incurred from the age of 32. He was never before the courts until he entered his 30s. Most of his convictions are for public order offences and begging and he has no history of violence.

Garda Harrington said what particularly concerned him was that the assault continued even when the octogenarian was on the ground.

Judge Sean O’Donnabhain was told that it was O’Donovan’s first offence before the Circuit Court. The 41-year-old expressed remorse for the assault through his barrister. He was said to have been “surprised by his actions”. The court heard that O’Donovan is an addict who is currently on methadone.

Meanwhile, Mr Duggan said in a victim impact statement that he had come across people on drink and drugs at the city centre church before but never any behaviour of this kind.

Mr Duggan said his confidence was knocked by the assault but that he loved his volunteer work at the church. He stated that O’Donovan deliberately stamped on his glasses during the incident. He said he found no fault with staff at the hospital in spite of waiting for treatment.