Amrick Roy pleads guilty to assaulting Penelope Katsavos in brutal South Yarra attack

A 78-year-old woman assaulted outside a South Yarra church has revealed the “utterly devastating” toll it’s had on her life but says she has forgiven her attacker.

Penelope Katsavos was left with serious injuries including two brain bleeds, a broken hip and wrist in the horrific attack.

A Melbourne grandmother who was left with horrific injuries after she was bashed while opening her church says she forgives the thug who assaulted her.

Amrick Roy, 27, pleaded guilty at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Thursday to the South Yarra assault that left Penelope Katsavos, 78, with serious injuries including two brain bleeds and a broken hip and wrist.

In a moving victim impact statement, the grandmother of six described the vicious assault in March of last year as “immensely life changing” and “utterly devastating”.

The most “heartbreaking” impact, she said, was she was no longer able to care for her husband who suffered from dementia and had since been moved into a nursing home.

Penelope Katsavos was bashed in March 2021.

She was left bloodied and bruised in the horrific attack.

“I miss my husband, I miss my independence … I miss my freedom,” she said.

Ms Katsavos said she had ongoing and debilitating headaches and could no longer prepare her favourite Greek dishes due to her weakened left wrist.

“I can’t clean my own home, I can’t cook for myself, I can’t volunteer at my church,” she said.

Despite her traumatising ordeal, Ms Katsavos said she had chosen to forgive her attacker.

“Amrick Roy, I forgive you for what you have done to me,” she said.

Police released this image of Amrick Roy captured on CCTV. Picture: Supplied

CCTV footage of Amrick Roy after the attack. Picture: Supplied

Appearing via video link from prison, Roy at times crossed his arms and placed his hands in front of his head as the statement was read to the court by prosecutor Marcel White.

Roy’s father Rajiv Roy addressed the hearing, calling his son’s actions “disgraceful”.

“I feel ashamed someone carrying our blood and genes (could) do something like this,” he said.

“I asked him ‘How could you possibly hit a 78-year-old lady? What sort of man would do that?’.”

Mr Roy said his son had shown remorse during his imprisonment and had plans to complete a science degree he had dropped out of upon his release.

“I believe he is genuinely remorseful for his disgraceful behaviour that night,” he said.

He also claimed Roy was suffering post-traumatic stress disorder because of the incident and had undergone a “religious transformation” by reading the bible twice a day.

The court heard Roy had been a frequent user of synthetic cannabis and had been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia but was not on medication at the time of the assault.

Mr Roy said he believed his son would need mandatory medication and rehabilitation after prison.

He will appear for a pre-sentence hearing in the County Court on June 15.