Cars at centre of serious Ballyshannon assault case to be destroyed
A destruction order has been made in relation to two vehicles which were seized by Gardai following a serious incident in Ballyshannon.
The matter came before Ballyshannon District Court by way of a police property application.
Garda Sergeant Oliver Devaney outlined that one vehicle was purchased in Northern Ireland using a false name and address.
Sergeant Devaney told the court that the car, a Volkswagen Golf, was seized following an assault in 2023. It was located burnt out after crossing the border.
The other vehicle, a BMW, came into the possession of An Garda Siochana after it was seized by the PSNI at Belfast Airport in connection with the same assault.
The car was registered in a false name and address and the ownership of the vehicle could not be established.
Judge Éiteáin Cunningham made an order for both vehicles to be forfeited to the State and issued a destruction order for both.
The vehicles were connected to an assault at a Ballyshannon service station in May 2023
In December 2025, Derek McDonagh pleaded guilty to having corrosive liquid and a pickaxe handle for use in an assault in Ballyshannon.
McDonagh admitted the offence and also pleaded guilty to an assault causing harm when he appeared before Donegal Circuit Court.
The 34-year-old, of Honeypot Lane, Darlington, England, appeared before Judge John Aylmer to be formally arraigned in the matter.
He is charged that in May ,2023 at TJ Hughes Service Station, Cloghore, Ballyshannon, he had in a public place a pickaxe handle and corrosive liquid intended to cause injury in the assault of Patrick Joseph Ward.
The offence is contrary to section 9(5) Firearms and Offensive Weapons Act, 1990.
The defendant is also charged with assaulting Ward and causing him harm on the same occasion, contrary to section 3 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997.
Following an application by McDonagh’s barrister, Mr Colm Smyth SC, Judge Aylmer granted the extension of legal aid to cover a psychiatric report.
Last April, Charlie McDonagh, a 43-year-old of Oak Lane, Billericay, Essex and Silverwood, Ballybofey, pleaded guilty to three charges arising out of an incident at TJ Hughes Service Station, Cloghore, Ballyshannon.
McDonagh pleaded guilty to a charge of endangerment in that he intentionally or recklessly engaged in conduct, namely driving a VW Golf with false plates into the rear of a vehicle being driven by Patrick Joseph Ward, creating a substantial risk of death or serious harm to another person.
McDonagh also pleaded guilty to assaulting Patrick Joseph Ward and causing him harm.
He pleaded guilty to a further charge of having in his possession in a public place an article, namely a knife, intended by him unlawfully to cause injury to, incapacitate or intimidate another person.
Both Derek McDonagh and Charlie McDonagh are awaiting sentencing.
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