A 28 year old man who carried out a "shocking, brutal and cowardly sexual assault" on a woman walking her dog in Fermoy has been jailed for six years.
Vadim Veste of Clancy Street, Fermoy pleaded guilty before the Central Criminal Court to aggravated sexual assault of a woman in her 50s at St Colman's Park in the town.
The incident happened at around 6pm on the 7th of November 2021.
Mr Justice Paul McDermott today commended the woman's bravery in fighting back against Veste and scratching his face and neck, biting and kicking him.
She also screamed which drew the attention of two young men who were walking in the park.
Mr Justice McDermott set a headline sentence of nine years before taking into account the mitigating factors including an expression of remorse from the man.
However he said he believed a Probation Service Report on Veste showed he had a "serious lack of insight and acceptance" in relation to the sexual element of the offence.
He ordered Veste not approach the victim or her family and placed him under a six-year post release supervision order which he said was "for the protection of society and to prevent further offending."
