Ex-solder is jailed for samurai sword attack

Nov 5 2009 by Alastair McNeill, Hamilton Advertiser

A FORMER soldier from Hamilton was jailed for nine years this week after trying to murder a man with a samurai sword.

Daniel Daly (24) had hit Paul McDonnell on the head with the "fearsome weapon" a court was told.

The victim was left with scars on his face and lost part of a finger as a result of the attack which was caught on CCTV.

The High Court in Edinburgh heard that Daly had served with the British Army in Iraq and Northern Ireland, but was discharged from the services after becoming a victim of an assault.

Defence counsel Paul McBride QC explained to the HIgh Court that Daly had found it difficult to come to terms with the end of his Army career and adjusting to civilian life.

Mr McBride said Daly had also worked with vulnerable youngsters and testimonials for him had been provided to the High Court.

Lady Stacey told Daly: “I accept you have served your country in Northern Ireland and in Iraq and been decorated for your services with the army.

“I also accept that you have found the transition back to civilian life difficult.”

But the High Court judge added that she had to consider law and order, adding: “You (Daly) went out in the middle of the night armed with a sword to confront Mr McDonnell with whom you had issues.

“That sort of behaviour is completely unacceptable.”

“You have been found guilty by the jury of an attempted murder that took place in a public street with a lethal weapon.”

She described the sword, which she had been shown during Daly’s trial earlier this year, as a “fearsome weapon”.

Daly, formerly of Reid Street, Burnbank, had earlier denied attempting to murder Mr McDonnell on March 16 this year in the Hamilton's Milton Terrace.

But he was found guilty after a trial of the murder bid by striking him on the head and body with a sword to his severe injury, permanent disfigurement and impairment and to the danger of his life.

Mr McDonnell said he was carrying a wooden clothes pole or stretcher and a white van came to a halt further down the street.

He said a man emerged from the van carrying a sword and they ran towards each other.

“I got in with the wooden stretcher first and then got hit on the face and on my hands.

“I lost a fingertip on my right hand,” he said.

“When I realised the extent of my injuries I fled.

“Seconds later I looked in the street light and my face was almost hanging off.”

Mr McBride said that the victim had discharged himself from hospital after the attack and "seems untroubled by what happened to him".

The defence counsel also pointed out that Daly had been "deeply traumatised" by the death of a young man who had killed himself and there seemed to be a suggestion that the victim had made remarks relating to that.