Man arrested after elderly woman bashed, left on South Yarra church steps

A Box Hill man has been charged over the sickening assault of an elderly woman outside a South Yarra Church.

A man has been charged over a sickening assault on an elderly woman outside a Melbourne church.

The Box Hill man, 26, allegedly bashed 78-year-old Penelope Katsavosd as she opened the St Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church on Barry Street at about 6.15am on Saturday March 13.

The man has been charged with recklessly cause serious injury, intentionally cause serious injury, recklessly cause injury, intentionally cause injury, robbery and theft.

He will face Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Friday.

Mrs Katsavos was left lying on the street for about 30 minutes before a cleaner found her.

She was discharged from hospital on Thursday night and was reunited with her husband, who suffers from dementia.

Mrs Katsavos is her husband’s full-time carer.

Senior Constable Turhan Peker from the Stonnington Criminal Investigation Unit said:

“It’s a callous and violent and horrendous attack on an individual who was going about her own business”.

Sen-Constable Peker wouldn’t say whether he believed the alleged offender would strike again, but confirmed no other assaults or incidents were reported in the South Yarra vicinity on Saturday morning.

“This is a one-off random attack that’s occurred,” he said.

In a mini breakthrough, CCTV footage captured a man of interest walking with the victim’s trolley along Chapel St.

“We believe someone knows this individual,” Senior Constable Peker said.

But the Sen-Constable Peker said there was no obvious motive for taking the victim’s trolley, which was later located by police.

Penelope Katsavos was left bloodied and bruised after the horrific attack.

Penelope Katsavos with her husband, Thomas.

Penelope Katsavos after the attack.

Ms Katsavos was opening the St Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox church on Barry St on Saturday morning, when she was set upon by two thugs.

A man and a woman allegedly approached Ms Katsavos’s trolley, with the male accused of punching the elderly woman before pushing her to the ground and kicking her.

She was left lying in a pool of her own blood for about 30 minutes before a street cleaner found her.

Ms Katsavos remains in a stable condition in hospital after suffering a broken wrist, fractured pelvis and two bleeds on the brain.

It’s too early to tell what long-term effects the attack will have.

In a statement to the Herald Sun from her hospital room, Ms Katsavos said she was thankful to the man who found her.

Ms Katsavos remains in hospital.

“He came over to me and said: ‘What happened to you, darling?’ and I said: ‘I don’t know. I don’t know what’s happened’,” she said.

Mrs Katsavos said the good Samaritan gave her a bottle of water and held her until more help arrived.

Her family on Tuesday said she was doing well and her condition was improving.

The offenders, who Ms Katsavos described as “young”, did not steal anything from the church but did steal her trolley, which contained her wallet, before dumping it at a park on Garden St, with its full contents inside.

Ms Katsavos’s daughter-in-law, Erin Katsavos, told the Herald Sun Ms Katsavos remained in good spirits despite the horrific assault.

“Initially the concussion was so serious that she didn’t remember anything, it was only hours later that she started to remember what happened,” she said.

“She’s very unwell but she’s doing everything she can to get better.

“She’s a very positive person and if anyone was able to recover from this, it’d be her. She’s very determined.”

Ms Katsavos after the attack.

Ms Katsavos has been described as a ‘very positive person’.

The St Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox church, where Ms Katsavos was attacked. Picture: Google Maps

“I don’t even really have any words, I don’t know what you could say to someone that would do that to anyone, but an elderly lady, it’s just beyond heartbreaking,” Ms Katsavos’s daughter-in-law said.

“We’re in absolute shock. You just can’t comprehend it. The fact they didn’t steal anything makes it even more confusing. We’re devastated for her.”

Ms Katsavos is the full-time carer of her husband, who has dementia.

“He doesn’t know what’s happened, he just knows that she’s not around,” Ms Katsavos added.

“He’s very confused and upset about the whole thing. It’s really important for him to have stability and routine.”

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