An Irish traveller, who denies involvement in a fr

An Irish traveller, who denies involvement in a frenzied attack on a distant relative, told the Old Bailey jury today (fri) he was enjoying a drinking session at the time.

Arthur McDonagh, 36, is accused of teaming up with an armed gang and launching a ferocious attack upon defenceless victim Michael Ward, 20, at a caravan park in Northolt, Middsx.

But giving evidence McDonagh, married to Mr Ward’s month, maintained he was in the midst of a drinking binge at various pubs in his home town of Leicester at the very time of the vicious onslaught.

Mr Ward, originally from Aylesbury, Bucks, has told the jury how he was left ‘half dead’ after the baying mob laid into him with axes, a knife, a hammer, machetes, and even a shovel.

During the terrifying incident on the ‘man-made’ Caravan Site at the Target Roundabout, Northolt, Middsx, back on the afternoon of September 17, 1998, a gun was fired.

Mr Gino Connor, prosecuting, said the attack was one of ‘several altercations’ to take place in a simmering family feud.

After the attackers fled Mr Ward was rushed to the Mount Vernon Hospital where four surgeons operated upon him for some four hours.

Mr Ward needed 150 stitches in all to wounds across his head, body and limbs.

But McDonagh, of Reynolds Place, Braunstone, Leicester, denies inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent.

Asked by his barrister Christopher Strachan if he had anything to do with the attack he simply replied: ‘No I did not.

I wasn’t even there.

‘

He told the jury simply how that morning he left his home in Leicester and spent the day drinking with friends at various pubs including the Town Arms and the Standard.

McDonagh said in the evening he ended up at the town’s Catholic Club.

During his defence case McDonagh called his wife Maureen and two friends as alibi witnesses.

And he said he was able to recall the events of the day in question because a close relative had died on February 17, 1998.

The court was told that the McDonagh family had arranged for evening mass to be said by the priest at the Lady of Leicester Catholic Church on the 17th day of every month in the year following the death.

The trial continues on Monday when Judge Giles Forrester hopes to sum the case up and send the jury out to consider its verdicts.

ends