A young Co Donegal man who carried out two brutal attacks on random strangers is to be sentenced next year.
John McGinley, 19, stabbed one man in the ear and neck as he waited for a taxi and also beat up a pensioner who was out for an early morning walk.
McGinley appeared at Letterkenny Circuit Court where he pleaded guilty to both savage attacks.
He is already serving a three and a half year sentence for slashing a man in the face with a knife outside a fast-food restaurant in Letterkenny in April, 2022.
Garda Sergeant Maurice Doyle outlined the latest charges against McGinley whom the court was told has six previous convictions.
In the first incident on October 31st, 2022, McGinley attacked a stranger who was waiting for a taxi on Letterkenny’s Main Street.
Patrick Durning had gone socialising after earlier playing golf in Portsalon and was waiting to get a taxi home.
He was trying to flag down a taxi when he felt two young males stand either side of him.
He suddenly felt a “pinch” on his ear and felt a wet release down his neck before realising that blood was splurting out of his ear and neck.
The terrified victim didn’t know if he had been stabbed with a bottle of a knife and ran across the road when he spotted Gardai and told them what had happened.
He was rushed by ambulance to Letterkenny University Hospital where he was given emergency treatment for a stab wound to both his near and neck.
Gardai arrived on the scene and McGinley was identified as a suspect and found a short distance away on the town’s Port Road with a glass bottle in his hand.
He was intoxicated and became highly aggressive and abusive when approached by Gardai and had to be pepper-sprayed and restrained as he was arrested. When searched a knife was found on McGinley which was seized.
When interviewed, McGinley made no admissions and said he didn’t see anyone being assaulted but did identify himself on CCTV footage shown to him by Gardai.
McGinley’s victim, Patrick Durning, gave a harrowing victim impact statement telling how he became depressed and couldn’t get out of bed or socialise after the attack.
He added that he felt fear when he went into Letterkenny and that his confidence had plummeted as he was a big man and was supposed to be able to protect himself and his family.
He said he finds it hard to be alone in public and although he knows how lucky he is to be alive, he thinks about the incident and how he stood on the street holding his bleeding neck and how this could have been the end of his life.
McGinley’s second brutal attack was committed against a 70-year-old pensioner who was out for an early morning stroll at 5.45am at Glenwood Park in Letterkenny on June 16th, 2023.
The court was told that James Doheny was out on his housing estate with his partner hoping to catch a glimpse of the Red Moon.
As he walked along a young man approached him and asked the elderly man if he lived on the estate and said that he knew Mr Doheny.
The young man suddenly threw a punch at Mr Doheny who managed to duck but was then hit with a punch in the kidneys and he dropped to the ground.
When he was on the ground the young man then kicked him in the head forcing the man to cover his face but not before another kick was delivered hitting him in the hand as he protected his face.
Mr Doheny’s partner began to scream loudly and the attacker ran off.
Gardai were called and a description of the attacker was given while CCTV from the area was also harvested from the area.
Just after 6am, Gardai encountered McGinley at Ballymacool and he said he had been out walking to the shops.
His clothing was blood-stained and he claimed he had cut it on a garden gate earlier.
In his victim impact statement, Mr Doheny said he had called Glenwood his home for more than three decades and had raised a family of five children there.
Before he was brutally beaten he revealed he was recovering from a stroke and this incident had severely impacted his recovery.
He added that he felt terrified and helpless that he could not defend himself or his partner and that the attack has taken a serious toll on his mental health as he now suffers from anxiety.
He said he wanted Judge Aylmer to think of the consequence on him when he is determining the appropriate sentence for McGinley.
Barrister for the accused, Mr Colm Smyth, SC, said his client was well known to the Judge and to the court.
He outlined McGinley’s struggle with drugs from an early age and the loss of various family members which led to his dysfunctional life and which led to him self-harming himself.
A letter addressed to Judge Aylmer from McGinley cited how he has now been in prison for 15 months and this has given him time to reflect on his life.
He also apologised to anybody he had hurt during that time.
Mr Smyth added that his hands were somewhat tied as his client did not want to undergo urine-analysis, psychiatric assessment or engage with the probation services as he wanted to deal with the issues.
However, Judge Aylmer said he then was limited to whatever time could be suspended from the final sentence.
Solicitor for McGinley, Mr Rory O’Brien took further instructions and the accused agreed to engage with the Probation Services as well as undergoing other treatment.
Judge Aylmer said he was anxious to assist McGinley given his young age and “not withstanding these appalling offences.”
He adjourned the final sentencing until the next session of the circuit court in February, 2025.