The attack happened on the 7th of November 2021.
28 year old Vadim Veste of Clancy Street, Fermoy appeared at a Central Criminal Court sitting at Anglesea Street earlier today.
Today’s sentencing hearing heard the Moldovan national who also has Romanian citizenship had pulled the woman to the ground in St Colman’s Park in the town at around 6:40pm on the evening in question.
The court heard that the victim was punched in the face, was forcibly pinned to the ground and had a woolly hat placed in her mouth.
In her victim impact statement, the victim said she thought she was going to die and could feel her breathing stop.
She said she thought a member of her family would have to come to the park to identify her body and said she was very relieved that two men who heard her scream had come to her rescue.
The woman said she was once confident but had since stopped walking by herself.
Defence counsel for the accused, Seamus Roche SC applied to have his client psychologically examined.
Mr Justice Paul McDermott granted the request and also ordered a probation service report.
Veste was remanded in continuing custody and is due before the court again on the 12th of June.
