Clare knife victim felt as if ‘face was falling off’

A MAN has been found guilty of a knife attack in Ennis that left the victim with a 20cm wound and the feeling that his face was “falling off”, writes Ronan Judge.

At Ennis Circuit Court, a jury returned two guilty verdicts at the end of the trial of William McDonagh (30).

McDonagh, with an addresses at Hazelbrook House, lower Gardiner street, Dublin and Clancy Park, Ennis, pleaded not guilty to assault causing harm to Wayne Higgins and the production of a kitchen knife during the course of the assault.

Both counts arose from an incident that occurred in the Hermitage area of Ennis on the night of February 10, 2019. The two-day trial was heard before Judge Brian O’Callaghan last week.

In evidence, Wayne Higgins (24), originally from Kilmaley and who has lived in Ennis, told the jury that he had been staying at the Laurel Lodge homeless hostel around the time of the assault.

Mr Higgins said that on the night of February 10, 2019 he was refused entry to Laurel Lodge because he had been drinking.

After being unsuccessful in his attempts to stay at a relative’s house in Hermitage, Mr Higgins was waiting for a lift when he met William McDonagh and some members of his family, the trial heard. The jury was told an altercation developed.

Mr Higgins said William McDonagh “jumped over his mother’s shoulder” and “slashed me with a knife”.

“I remember looking up and seeing the glare of the blade”, Mr Higgins added.

The jury heard Mr Higgins ran to a friend’s house in Drumbiggle Drive and called an ambulance.

The jury were shown photos of Mr Higgins taken after the attack. They showed a bloody wound from the victim’s left temple to his left cheek.

“It felt like my face was falling off,” Mr Higgins told the jury.

Mr Higgins said he felt “horrible” after the attack and now has no feeling in the left side of his face.

A doctor’s report read in court, stated Mr Higgins received 14 skin sutures for a 20cm long wound to the left side of his face.
Garda Peter Scannell, who attended the house in Drumbiggle from where Mr Higgins was brought to hospital, said that when he entered the property, Mr Higgins was holding a tea-towel to his face.

“There was a lot of blood,” Garda Scannell added.

Garda Patrick McCormack also attended the house in Drumbiggle.

He said Mr Higgins was “shook but ok, he was coherent”.

“He said to me it was the accused, William McDonagh, who attacked him,” Garda McCormack added.

Garda Brian Donnellan gave evidence that he was on mobile patrol in the Clare Road area of Ennis at when he met Wayne Higgins at around 9.10pm, prior to the assault.

Garda Donnellan told the jury he didn’t notice anything about Mr Higgins’ demeanour and he had no injuries.

In cross examination, defence counsel, Pat Whyms BL put it to Mr Higgins, “You were not assaulted by William McDonagh and you gave an account that is unreliable and unsatisfactory”.

In his closing speech, prosecuting counsel, Lorcan Connolly BL, told the jury that Mr Higgins is not the first person to go for a few drinks or a few joints
He asked the jury not to hold this against Mr Higgins.

“After all we’re not angels, we’re not all paid up members of the pioneers abstinence society.”

He asked the jury to apply a standard of common sense and not the “exalted standards” others may demand.

Mr Connolly said Mr Higgins was “completely clear” in his recollection of the events of February 10, 2019.

He said this was not a case where a person’s recollection was “scratchy”.

“Mr Higgins remembers each and every step in that very short time period,” counsel added.

In his closing speech, defence counsel Pat Whyms BL, told the jury that Mr Higgins “is attempting to construct a version of the story” that would result in the conviction of William McDonagh.

Counsel said Mr Higgins was the jury’s “sole source of information about this incident” and his evidence had been “misleading” and in some aspects, “plain wrong”.

“His account of the incident is unreliable,” Mr Whyms added.

After deliberating for two hours and 24 minutes, the jury returned majority 10-2 guilty verdicts in both counts against William McDonagh.

Judge Brian O’Callaghan granted Mr McDonagh bail on strict conditions and ordered him to appear at Ennis Circuit Court on November 3, when a date for sentencing is due to be fixed.