Overview
- Warwick Crown Court sentenced Tony Griffin, 54, and Wesley McDonnell, 46, to 15 years for manslaughter, with parole consideration only after serving at least two-thirds.
- The pair targeted O’Donnell at a Hall Green rehabilitation centre on May 14, 2025, after McDonnell noticed his watch at a nearby Co-op.
- Griffin approached with a tool believed to be a screwdriver during the attempted robbery, causing an arm wound that became infected and led to death a week later.
- Detectives used CCTV showing the men following the victim and Griffin discarding clothing, with facial recognition identifying McDonnell from images.
- Judge Kristina Montgomery KC highlighted the family’s profound grief and the defendants’ long criminal records; Griffin admitted attempted robbery, and McDonnell was convicted of it by a jury.