A holidaymaker was left fighting for his life after being stabbed three times during a horrific unprovoked attack at a popular caravan park. A Middlesbrough man who launched the unprovoked assault at Flamingo Land has been jailed.
Joshua Donnelly, 22, admitted the offence of Section 18 wounding with intent and received his sentence at York Crown Court. The incident occurred at the well-known theme park near Pickering shortly after 1am on Thursday, September 18, last year.
Donnelly used a four-inch black-handled knife, taken from a caravan's kitchen drawer, to stab the victim. This followed a domestic row Donnelly had with his partner, during which the victim tried to defuse the situation. Donnelly inflicted three stab wounds to the man's abdomen.
The 38-year-old from the Scottish Borders, who was on a family break and staying in a neighbouring caravan, required urgent hospital treatment and emergency surgery for a punctured colon. As police responded, Donnelly fled the holiday park.
After comprehensive investigations, a vehicle he was travelling in was intercepted by officers beyond the Cleveland Police border later that day. Donnelly was detained and brought into custody in Scarborough for interview, reports Teesside Live.
A gardener at the holiday park discovered the knife abandoned in bushes. It was forensically connected to both Donnelly and the victim. Vital evidence was also collected by North Yorkshire Police from witnesses and CCTV footage.
Donnelly was charged and appeared before York Magistrates' Court on September 20, where he was remanded in custody due to the gravity of the offence and the danger he posed to the public. On Friday, June 12, Donnelly, of Duxford Road, received a four-and-a-half-year custodial sentence.
The victim released a heartfelt statement detailing the profound effect the incident has had on his entire family, describing how a 'lovely family holiday turned into a nightmare.' His son has not returned to school since the attack and now completes work set for him at home.
'My brother and his family who were away with us have been impacted massively by what they experienced. I have been blaming myself for this and for going to their caravan,' the victim said. 'Both my parents have been impacted since the incident; they have been full of worry. My mum's health has deteriorated massively, which has been an additional concern.'
'In terms of myself, I feel my life has changed completely and I have struggled dealing with what has happened. Talking about this now has put a lump in my throat, and I never used to be a crier. Despite no longer being on medication, the mental toll and long-term physical effects will be something I will carry with me for the foreseeable. I have not slept decently since the stabbing; my mind plays the events repeatedly. I relive it.'
'Because of my injuries, my nerves in my right leg have been damaged, meaning it's a lot weaker than before. I am self-conscious of the way I walk now, which is a big part of why I struggle to socialise.'
Police Investigator Liberty Ashton from Scarborough and Ryedale CID said: 'Due to the overwhelming evidence stacked against Joshua Donnelly, he was left with very little option but to plead guilty to this terrible, vicious offence that could so easily have taken an innocent man's life. Despite surviving the unprovoked knife attack, it has had a huge, long-term effect on the victim and his family. They have had to learn to live with everything that this senseless violent act has left behind. I really hope the outcome at court provides them with some comfort and strength to move forward with their lives.'
