Elderly Man Attacked in Brazen Daylight Robbery
Two men have been found guilty of manslaughter following a violent and botched attempt to steal a watch from an 83-year-old man in a Birmingham car park. The attack on Neil O'Donnell occurred in Hall Green on Wednesday, May 14, and tragically led to his death just one week later.
Chilling Sequence of Events Captured on CCTV
Neil O'Donnell had just pulled into the car park of a rehabilitation centre off Cateswell Road at around 2.30pm. He was there to visit his partner when Tony Griffin, 54, armed with what is believed to be a screwdriver, ran towards his car and attempted to snatch his watch.
The pensioner bravely fought off his assailant, and staff from the centre managed to chase Griffin away. Mr O'Donnell was initially treated in hospital for an arm injury sustained during the struggle and was subsequently discharged.
Tragically, his health later deteriorated. He died a week after the assault from complications arising from an infection caused by the injury he suffered.
Police Investigation Unravels the Plot
An investigation by West Midlands Police pieced together the events leading to the attack. It was established that Griffin's accomplice, Wesley McDonnell, 46, had arrived at a nearby Co-op store at the same time as Mr O'Donnell about 30 minutes prior.
CCTV footage showed McDonnell looking at Neil's watch in the store. McDonnell then picked up Griffin, and the two men were captured on camera following Mr O'Donnell's car on its short journey to the rehabilitation centre.
As he fled the scene on foot, Griffin was recorded on CCTV discarding his top and cap in a wheelie bin. Both men were identified by officers, with McDonnell being pinpointed thanks to facial recognition technology.
Following a trial at Warwick Crown Court, the pair, both from College Road in Birmingham, were found guilty of manslaughter. Griffin had previously admitted to attempted robbery, while McDonnell was found guilty of the same offence. The court heard that both are career criminals with extensive records.
Tony Griffin has 14 previous convictions for 32 offences, including burglary, robbery, and kidnapping. Wesley McDonnell has 29 convictions for 85 offences, including burglary, wounding with intent, and robbery. They are scheduled to be sentenced in January.
Detective Inspector Nigel Box from the force's Homicide team said: "This was a violent attack on an elderly man who was simply going about his day. You can see from the footage that the struggle lasted some time, and Griffin was clearly determined to take the watch, despite Neil resisting."
He added, "They are both career criminals and wrongly assumed Neil would be an easy target. Neil’s death has been devastating for his family, who have asked for privacy while they continue to grieve."
