Prosecutor: Karate Coach Confessed to Indecent Assault of 7-Year-Old Girl

An Arlington karate coach charged with indecently assaulting a young girl at his studio has confessed to the crime, a prosecutor said Friday morning.

Thomas Donahue, 52, of Lexington, was charged Thursday with indecent assault of a child. He is the founder of  in Arlington, where authorities say the crime took place.

In court Friday morning, Assistant District Attorney Deborah Bercovitch said Donahue gave Arlington Police a “full confession” of the crime.

Donahue, who was released Thursday after posting $10,000 cash bail, will be put under home arrest starting Friday and have a GPS tracking bracelet put on next week. Bercovitch asked for Donahue’s bail to be increased to $20,000 but that request was denied.

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

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.

Bercovitch said Donahue also offered discounted classes to the child when her family was having difficulty affording the lessons. “He told the child’s mother that he was going to help in any way,” Bercovitch added.

Donahue has been ordered to have no unsupervised contact with children under 16. He is due back in court on Oct. 19.