Crime & Safety

Back in Court, Karate Coach Arraigned on Charges of Indecent Assault of Child

Thomas Donahue, 52, of Lexington, is accused of molesting a young female student at T&P Martial Arts in Arlington.

A former Arlington karate coach was arraigned in Middlesex Superior Court Thursday on charges he indecently assaulted a young female student at his studio.

Thomas Donahue, 52, of Lexington, faces charges of indecent assault and battery on a person under 14 and enticement of a child. On Thursday, his bail was set at $10,000 with conditions he wears a GPS bracelet, has no contact with the victim or children under 16 and is only allowed in his karate studio before 2 p.m., when children are not present. He is the founder of  in Arlington, where authorities say the crime took place.

Donahue was on Aug. 25, arraigned in Cambridge District Court and released on $10,000 cash bail. He was  on Oct. 20.

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In court Aug. 26, Assistant District Attorney Deborah Bercovitch said Donahue gave  a “” of the crime.

Bercovitch previously said the victim was watching a movie with her family when she said, “This guy reminds me of Tom. I hate Tom. He makes me touch him.”

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The prosecutor said the crime would occur after the victim’s karate class at T&P. He would ask the girl to shake his genitals "to help him remove" a cast he was wearing at the time, according to Bercovitch. Once the victim would comply with the request, he would remove the cast and thank the girl, according to the prosecutor.

Donahue confirmed the prosecution’s account of the crime to police, according to the prosecution.

A parent who  recently said the children at T&P Martial Arts were told Donahue has retired.

He is due back in court on Jan. 5 for a pretrial conference


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