Quincy man accused of attacking a woman in the South End ordered held without bail

Crime

Amos Sykes, 35, allegedly punched a woman in the head and tried to take off her clothes. He faces multiple charges.

A judge ordered that a 35-year-old Quincy man accused of punching a woman in the head and trying to take off her clothes be held without bail at a dangerousness hearing on Wednesday.

Authorities have charged Amos Sykes with assault and battery causing serious bodily injury, indecent assault and battery, assault to rape, strangulation, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, and assault and battery, in connection with an attack that happened Saturday night in Boston’s South End.

A not guilty plea was entered on his behalf at his arraignment Monday, and he was held without bail pending Wednesday’s dangerousness hearing.

At the hearing, Boston Municipal Court Judge Richard Sinnott deemed Sykes dangerous and ordered him held without bail, the Suffolk County District Attorney’s office said.

“This brutal, random attack is exactly the type of incident for which it’s in the best public interest to move forward with a dangerousness hearing,” District Attorney Kevin Hayden said in a statement. “We are selective in our requests for dangerousness findings, with protection of the public as our dominant deciding factor.”

At about 9:30 p.m. on Aug. 13, the victim was walking on Columbus Avenue when Sykes allegedly grabbed her from behind and forced her to the ground, Boston police said previously. He then allegedly punched her in the head and tried to take off her clothes.

Officers responded to the scene at West Canton and Appleton Streets around 9:40 p.m. and saw a witness fighting with Sykes to try to protect the victim, police said.

Sykes allegedly tried to flee on foot, but was soon arrested, according to police. First responders took the victim to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

The witness has been identified as South End resident Sam Holder, The Boston Globe reported. He told the newspaper he was in his apartment watching a football game with his father when he heard the victim scream from the street below.

Holder said he ordered Sykes to get off the victim, the newspaper reported. Sykes allegedly refused and told Holder he had a gun. Holder then punched Sykes, the Globe reported.

“It was crazy. People were recording her in the process of being raped,” he told the newspaper while shaking his head in disbelief. “I’ll never forget that.”

Police found the victim with her pants pulled down, NBC10 Boston reported. Holder recalled that her face was bloody, and police said she was seriously injured and had cuts on her face, according to the news station.

Holder’s intervention allowed the victim to escape, NBC10 Boston reported. Hayden praised Holder for his bravery on Monday.

Sykes is due back in court on Sept. 13 for a probable cause hearing.