78-year-old grandmother, Penelope Katsavos, says she misses ‘feeling safe’ after being beaten unconscious in a vicious attack outside of South Yarra Greek Orthodox Church in Victoria last year, The Age has reported.
Ms Katsavos was unlocking the front door of the church, where she volunteered, when 27-year-old Amrick Roy viciously attacked her shortly after 6am on March 13, 2021.
She lay alone on the ground on Barry Street for half an hour before she was found by a council worker. Ms Katsavos suffered bleeding on the brain, a fractured wrist, severe facial injuries and a badly broken pelvis.
In a victim impact statement read to the County Court of Victoria on Friday, Ms Katsavos said the impact of these crimes have been “immense, life-changing and utterly devastating first and foremost to me and then like a shockwave throughout my entire family.”
The grandmother of six said the attack robbed her of her independence and the ability to care for her husband.
“At 78, I was looking forward to spending any time I had left loving and caring for my husband. Amrick Roy, your choice means I’ll be spending my last days, months and years trying to cope with pain and fatigue… isolated from my friends and family and separated from my husband,” the statement reads.
“I miss having freedom, I miss feeling safe… No sentence you are given will change the life sentence you have given me.”
Despite this, Ms Katsavos added that she had forgiven Roy and hoped he would somehow learn to be a better person.
Roy has pleaded guilty to five charges including recklessly causing serious injury, robbery and three counts of assault stemming from his spree of violent attacks in Prahran and South Yarra.
He remains in custody ahead of sentencing.
Source: The Age.
