Man, 31, is charged with assault on Edinburgh priest after 'kind and gentle' minister was chased through his cathedral before fighting off bottle-wielding attacker with a chair 

• Jason Irvine, 31, has been charged with two counts of assault in court today 
• Father Jamie McMorrin, 35, was assaulted Irvine on Monday during prayers  
• He performed another assault at Princes Street Gardens East 10 minutes later
• He didn't enter a plea deal at court today and has been remanded in custody 

A bottle-wielding man who attacked an Edinburgh priest on Monday has been charged with two counts of assault.

Jason Irvine, 31, assaulted Father Jamie McMorrin, 35, during his morning prayers at 9.35am on Monday at St Mary's Cathedral. 

Irvine, of no fixed abode, appeared in Edinburgh Sheriff Court this afternoon at a petition hearing where he entered no plea.    

He is currently being held in custody and his next hearing is in eight days.   

Father Jamie McMorrin, 35, was assaulted during his morning prayers at 9.35am on Monday at St Mary's Cathedral.

Irvine is believed to have asked Fr McMorrin if he was a priest and swung a bottle at him when he replied yes. 

The Leaders of the Archdiocese of St Andrews and Edinburgh released a statement regarding the assault. The organisation said: 'A priest sitting alone praying in a pew was subject to a violent and unprovoked assault by a man carrying a glass bottle.

'Prior to the attack the man had asked him if he was a priest.

'When the priest replied that he was, the man attempted to hit him on the head with the bottle, before chasing him to the back of the cathedral.'  

The priest narrowly missed the bottle and managed to escape to the back of the cathedral where he used a chair to fend off the man. The man had broken the bottle during the first swing and continued it in the attack. 

Fr McMorrin managed to escape the attack unscathed. 

Ten minutes after attacking Fr McMorrin, Irvine performed another assault at Princes Street Gardens East. 

The man appeared in Edinburgh Sheriff Court today. He has been charged with connections to the St Mary's Cathedral and Princes Street Gardens East assaults

'We can confirm that a 31-year-old man has been arrested in Cumbria in connection with an assault at a church on York Place in Edinburgh and a further assault at Princes Street Gardens,' Police Scotland told the Edinburgh Evening News. 

There has been an outpouring of support by parishioners and the city, who have called the priest 'kind and gentle.' 

Edinburgh City Council leader, Adam McVey, described McMorrin's assault as 'appalling.' 

While many wish warm blessings on him, others hope the attacker faces judicial time for his assault and question his mental health. 

One Twitter user said: 'Disgraceful. Hope who ever it was feels the force of the judicial system.'

While another said, 'There must be mental illness involved. How else can people not be left in peace with their faith? Outrageous.'