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Alan Barnes attack: Man pleads guilty | Alan Barnes attack: Man pleads guilty |
(35 minutes later) | |
A man has pleaded guilty to assaulting disabled pensioner Alan Barnes, for whom more than £300,000 was subsequently raised in donations. | A man has pleaded guilty to assaulting disabled pensioner Alan Barnes, for whom more than £300,000 was subsequently raised in donations. |
The 67-year-old suffered a broken collarbone when he was knocked to the ground outside his Gateshead home on 25 January. | The 67-year-old suffered a broken collarbone when he was knocked to the ground outside his Gateshead home on 25 January. |
An online appeal set up on his behalf raised £330,135. | An online appeal set up on his behalf raised £330,135. |
Richard Gatiss, 25, from Gateshead, pleaded guilty to assault with intent to rob at Newcastle Crown Court. | Richard Gatiss, 25, from Gateshead, pleaded guilty to assault with intent to rob at Newcastle Crown Court. |
He will be sentenced at a later date. | |
Danny Savage, North of England Correspondent | |
Alan Barnes is the vulnerable pensioner from Gateshead who was overwhelmed by the kindness of strangers. | |
The 67-year-old is easily noticed. He is well known in the area where he lives. He has a range of physical disabilties because his mother contracted German Measles when she was pregnant with him. | |
When one local woman heard what had happened to the 4ft 6in gentleman who lived near her, she did something about it. | |
Katie Cutler set up an online appeal to raise £500. The appeal went viral and in a matter of days the total raised reached £330,000. The two of them first met and hugged in front of reporters - surely one of the most heartwarming images of the year so far. | |
As for the man who attacked him, he now has the notoriety of being the villain responsible for a despicable crime. Richard Gatiss cut a sorry figure when he appeared before magistrates. He sat weeping in the dock as the court was told his DNA linked him to the assault. He will be sentenced at a later date. | |
Newcastle Crown Court heard today that Gatiss is "shocked , horrified and deeply ashamed of what he did". He is also conscious of being in the public eye the judge was told. | |
Mr Barnes was putting out his wheelie bin when he was attacked by Gatiss. | |
Moved by Mr Barnes's plight, an online appeal to raise £500 was set up by Gateshead beautician Katie Cutler. | Moved by Mr Barnes's plight, an online appeal to raise £500 was set up by Gateshead beautician Katie Cutler. |
It attracted donations from across the globe and quickly passed the initial target. | It attracted donations from across the globe and quickly passed the initial target. |
Mr Barnes was presented with the cheque earlier this month. | |
He intends to use the money to buy a new home as he does not want to return to the area where he was attacked. |