A man who stabbed a father of fourteen at a child’s confirmation party but pleaded self-defense has walked free from court.
Martin Ward admitted stabbing Martin McDonagh at the Foot Inn in Burnfoot on March 7th, 2009.
However, Ward claimed that he was acting in the self-defense after being set upon by Mr McDonagh and his sons.
Ward, aged 35, was charged with assault causing harm and having possession of an offensive weapon intending to cause injury which he denied.
Letterkenny Circuit Court heard over the three-day trial how a huge melee broke out the bar during the confirmation party.
Ward and another man, Terence McDonagh, a cousin of the injured party, arrived at the party around 6pm in the evening.
However, because of bad blood between Terence McDonagh, Ward was accused of creating trouble at the party.
He was approached by the McDonaghs and a row ensued.
Martin McDonagh, of the Big Isle, Manorcunningham, claimed he saw his four sons getting annoyed by what was happening and merely approached Ward to calm the situation down.
Ward claimed he was set upon and beaten by the McDonaghs and at one stage saw a knife produced.
He claimed he managed to grab the knife and admits stabbing Martin McDonagh Snr in the stomach but denied stabbing him in the arm.
However, the McDonagh family claimed that it was Ward who had the knife hidden in his boot.
Ward, of Canal Road, Letterkenny, then fled and jumped over a bad but was struck in the face with a crutch which was being used by one of the McDonagh boys.
He managed to lock himself into a room and later fled after the McDonaghs left.
Medical evidence given in a report by Dr Michael Sugrue said that McDonagh had suffered a stabwound but was expected to make a full recovery.
Both men had been admitted to Letterkenny University Hospital where a large scale Garda operation took place to keep both parties apart.
Mrs Maureen Ward said she thought her husband was going to die.
She claimed that a son of Mr McDonagh claimed in the carpark of the pub that they were going to kill her husband.
Barrister for Ward, Mr Peter Nolan, instructed by solicitor David Henry, said the McDonaghs’ story was like Swiss cheese it had that many holes in it.
The jury of eight men and four women took just fifteen minutes to reach a unanimous not guilty verdict on both charges.
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