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Homeless man punched pregnant woman in stomach in unprovoked attack

Summary

In Dublin City Centre, on 23 November 2016, Bernard McGrath, aged 27, punched pregnant Barbara O'Beirne, 23 weeks pregnant, in the stomach during an unprovoked attack. McGrath, who shouted at passing cars and then struck O'Beirne hard, also told her "Boo hoo, you're pregnant." O'Beirne was left in shock, unable to feel her baby, and later sought medical care at Holles Street hospital. She described the assault as a pregnant woman's worst nightmare and, despite the trauma, gave birth to a healthy baby girl a few months later. McGrath, a heroin addict with a troubled childhood and schizophrenia, had 21 prior convictions. At Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, he pleaded guilty and was sentenced to three years' imprisonment, with the final nine months suspended, on the condition that he fully engage with probation services. The judge called the incident "deeply cowardly and bizarre.".

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Homeless man punched pregnant woman in stomach in unprovoked attack. Charges or matters: assaulting Barbara O'Beirne on Burgh Quay on November 23, 2016. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

• November 23, 2016 Incident
• 2017-10-24 Publication

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Drugs Stage Sentence Violent Crime

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Read the original CNI report