The champion weightlifter who destroyed a man’s hand with a point-blank shotgun blast has been jailed for 12 years.
Anthony McDonagh, of Circular Road, Galway, had denied the charges of being in possession of a shotgun and shotgun cartridges with intent to endanger life and to the charge of intentionally or recklessly causing serious harm to Martin Ward (26 ) of Corrach Buí, Rahoon, on April 18, 2008, at Whitestrand Road, Salthill.
However on the seventh day of his trial, last week, the jury found him guilty of all charges.
During the trial the court heard how Mr Ward had had his thumb blown off my the shotgun discharge. His index finger was badly damaged and was used to repair his thumb by surgeons.
Judge Raymond Groarke described the attack as brutal and added that it was necessary to hand down such a sentence as a deterrent.
