Overview
- Joshua Donnelly was jailed for four and a half years at York Crown Court after pleading guilty to Section 18 wounding with intent on June 12, 2026.
- Prosecutors say Donnelly took a four-inch kitchen knife from a caravan and stabbed a 38-year-old holidaymaker multiple times at Flamingo Land on September 18, 2025.
- Police arrested Donnelly later the same day after a vehicle stop by Cleveland Police and after a gardener found the discarded knife, which was forensically linked to the attacker and the victim.
- The victim needed emergency surgery for a punctured colon and now faces long-term physical and mental harm, including nerve damage, loss of mobility at work, and a son who has not returned to school.
- Court reporting noted Donnelly had prior offences and active bail matters and the case highlights how forensic evidence, CCTV and witness testimony can secure convictions in public knife attacks at family leisure sites.