Offaly Brothers Found Not Guilty Of Attempted Murder

The four brothers involved are all from Tullamore.

The Irish Independent is reporting two Offaly brothers have been found not guilty of attempted murder of two brothers living in the same town.

38 year old Patrick 'Pa' Ward of Kilcruttin in Tullamore and 42 year old John Pio Ward also of Kilcruttin were charged with attempting to kill Anthony McDonagh and Micheal McDonagh at an unofficial halting site in the town on March 21st, last year.

The prosecution's case was that five men were involved in a violent incident outside Tullamore Hospital last year.

Three Ward family members, and Micheal McDonagh.

The court heard minutes after McDonagh returned home, a large group appeared at his halting site.

Pandemonium ensued according to the State.

The McDonagh brothers took shots to the face, neck and chest, narrowly escaping death after shotgun pellets lodged themselves close to vital organs.

Two alibi witnesses put the Ward brothers elsewhere at the time of the incident, while the victims told Gardaí their assailants were John, and Patrick Ward.

The Wards also faced charges relating to firearm possession and violent disorder.

A jury at the Central Criminal Court delievered majority verdicts finding the men not guilty on all counts.

ority verdicts finding the men not guilty on all counts.

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