Judge keeps alleged Lynn granny beater behind bars

LYNN – A Lynn plumber charged with robbing and savagely beating an 89-year-old grandmother in front of her Eastern Avenue home will remain jailed at least until Dec. 21 when he faces a probable cause hearing.District Court Judge Michael Lauranzano on Tuesday found Nicholas Christian, 30, 7 Hammond St., too dangerous to be released from the Essex County House of Corrections in Middleton, where the suspect has been held since his Nov. 18 arrest.The victim, Geneva Sozanski, suffered a black eye, multiple bruises and a head gash when Christian allegedly assaulted and stole her pocketbook on Nov. 15.The daylight mugging outraged law-abiding residents and sparked a flurry of media coverage that continued Tuesday when Sozanski appeared at a meeting of the City Council.Police found Sozanski’s wallet and personal identification stuffed into a cat food box in the cellar of Christian’s home, along with the belongings of a second robbery victim, Diana Keith, 35, who also lives on Eastern Avenue.”Mr. Christian was found to be a danger to the community and was ordered held without bail,” said Steve O’Connell, a spokesman for Essex County District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett. “For a dangerousness hearing, the Commonwealth must prove there is no other way to ensure the public safety other than through incarceration.”Christian, represented by attorney Cathleen E. Campbell at Tuesday’s hearing, will remain behind bars until his probable cause hearing in District Court, O’Connell said.Essex County Assistant District Attorney Kim Faitella handled the prosecution’s case.Christian’s attorneys contend nobody witnessed the incident, leaving the suspect untied to the crime. Witnesses who helped Sozanski from the cold sidewalk where she lay bleeding and unconscious told police the assailant jumped from the passenger side of a black car as it pulled alongside and yanked on the woman’s arm.Christian stands charged with unarmed robbery on a person over age 65, aggravated assault on a person over age 65 and unarmed robbery in connection with the attack on Keith.