Overview
- Warwick Crown Court sentenced Tony Griffin, 54, and Wesley McDonnell, 46, to 15 years for manslaughter, with at least two-thirds to be served before release can be considered.
- Neil O’Donnell, 83, died a week after a May 14 attack in a Hall Green rehabilitation centre car park, where Griffin tried to snatch his watch while armed with what the victim believed was a screwdriver.
- The judge said a twisting motion to O’Donnell’s right arm caused a significant loss of skin; the wound became infected and was found to have caused his death.
- CCTV captured McDonnell examining the watch in a Co-op about 30 minutes earlier and the pair trailing O’Donnell in a van, supporting a joint-enterprise finding; police identified them via CCTV and facial recognition before arresting them.
- Both men have lengthy criminal records; the court heard Griffin showed no true remorse, while the victim’s family described the loss as immeasurable and said his partner’s dementia worsened through grief.