Freed from jail to kill for third time
Families of thug’s victims rage at ‘joke’ justice system
THE justice system was denounced as ‘a joke’ last night after a violent thug was left free to kill a talented young footballer, despite having been jailed for killing twice before.
Colin McDonald, 42, was convicted of manslaughter last week over the death of bystander Dominic Doyle, 21, following a pub brawl that got out of hand.
But there was anger yesterday after it emerged that he had killed twice before – and been released from jail ‘for good behaviour’ on both occasions.
The families of McDonald’s victims reacted with fury, condemning Britain’s revolving door justice system.
Kath Leary, 62, the mother of his second victim, said: ‘It’s appalling that this man was allowed to kill and kill again because of the joke justice system that operates in this country. People say a leopard never changes its spots and that is exactly the case with Colin McDonald.
‘He should never have been let out of jail in the first place after the first killing, let alone after he left my son to die like he did. I just feel sor ry for the family of his latest victim.’
McDonald first killed Jonathan Tripp, 27, from Dun Laoghaire, near Dublin after pushing him into a canal after a ‘minor disagreement’ back in 1997.
Mr Tripp, an accountant, was hoisted over the canal wall and hurled into the canal in Manchester when he objected to McDonald rifling through his pockets.
McDonald was convicted of manslaughter and jailed but in 2001 was convicted of grievous bodily harm when he broke a man’s jaw in two places during a fight outside a pub.
In February 2005, he ended up in the dock again, following another fight outside a pub at night, insisting he had been attacked first.
He was arrested again in 2010 after leaving a man with 11 stab wounds and five slash wounds during a brutal knifing but, despite his record for violence, he was given bail. While on bail he killed for the second time when he got behind the wheel of car without a driving licence or insurance.
Wayne Leary, 38, was crossing a road in Oldham to meet his daughter Aimee, ten, on the other side when he was mown down by McDonald and died the following day. McDonald, who did not stop, fled on foot but was later arrested and admitted causing death by careless driving and GBH and was sentenced to 18 months for the crash and ten years for the stabbing.
But once again he was freed in 2015 after serving just five years only to strike again in June last year during a brawl which claimed the life of innocent bystander Dominic Doyle, 21.
Mr Doyle, 21, who had been on the books of Manchester United as a boy, was killed at random after one of his friends had a minor bust up with a teenager in a toilet in a pub in Manchester.
McDonald encouraged others to fight back and Mr Doyle was stabbed and slashed several times in his throat and chest by a knife-wielding mob.
McDonald was charged with murder but was found guilty of manslaughter. Rikki Linehan, 18, and 15-year-old boy admitted murder. They will be sentenced next month.
Mrs Leary said: ‘I am a religious person and I do believe in giving people another chance but I will never forgive that man and I will never forget what he did.
‘I just hope the judge locks him away for good this time. I am sick of soft justice in this country letting people out just to commit similar crimes over and over again.
‘He should not even have been out to get behind the wheel to kill my son, or be out to get involved in a fight outside a pub in Dominic’s death. My concern is that he will only serve another four or five years and then could kill someone else.
‘He has had enough second chances. The judge has to make sure that he goes away for a very long time. Lock the door and throw away the key.’
‘Throw away the key’