Ireland Man sentenced for Longford restaurant assault causing serious harm
Patrick Stokes, 28, of Edgeworthstown, Co Longford, slashed Martin McDonagh, a man in his 20s, with a Stanley knife at Luigi's fast food restaurant on Main Street, Longford, shortly after 3pm on 5 April 2022, in front of 10 to 15 people including young children. The attack, linked to a longstanding feud between two Longford families, followed an earlier altercation at a filling station that day, and restaurant owner Peter Vocella was cut on the finger while trying to help McDonagh. Stokes turned himself in to gardaí and pleaded guilty to Section 4 assault causing serious harm and Section 3 assault at Longford Circuit Criminal Court in January 2023. On 9 May 2023, Judge Kenneth Connolly sentenced Stokes to seven years and six months for the Section 4 charge with the final 12 months suspended for three years, and a concurrent one-year sentence for the Section 3 assault, meaning he will serve six and a half years.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrestednot reported
- Chargednot reported
- In court19 Jan
2 reports - Verdictnot reported
- Sentenced9 May
2 reports
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- Patrick Stokes slashed Martin McDonagh with a Stanley knife at Luigi's fast food restaurant, causing serious injuries including several slash wounds to his upper body.
- Where
- The incident occurred at Luigi's fast food restaurant on Main Street, Longford, in front of 10 to 15 people including young children.
- When
- The attack took place shortly after 3pm on 5 April 2022.
- Cause
- The incident was linked to a longstanding feud between two Longford families and followed an earlier altercation at a filling station that day.
- Weapon
- Stokes used a Stanley carpet knife.
- Investigation
- Stokes turned himself in to gardaí after the incident and cooperated fully.
- Charges
- Stokes was charged with Section 4 assault causing serious harm to McDonagh, Section 3 assault on restaurant owner Peter Vocella, and production of a knife.
- In court
- Stokes pleaded guilty to the Section 4 and Section 3 charges at Longford Circuit Criminal Court on 19 or 22 January 2023, and the production of a knife charge was taken into consideration.
- Sentence
- Judge Kenneth Connolly sentenced Stokes to seven years and six months for the Section 4 assault with the final 12 months suspended for three years, and a concurrent one-year sentence for the Section 3 assault, meaning he will serve six and a half years.
- Other details
- McDonagh's injuries were described as severe and life-threatening, and a medical report said a tourniquet applied by the restaurant owner and a customer may have saved his life.
- Stokes is a married father of three children, one of whom has been diagnosed with autism, and has been under the care of community psychiatric services for the past seven years.
- Restaurant owner Peter Vocella sustained a cut to his finger while trying to help McDonagh during the altercation.
53 statements extracted from the articles
- whatThe victim sustained serious injuries including several slash wounds to his upper body (longfordleader.ie)
- whatStokes pleaded guilty to a section four assault causing serious harm on Martin McDonagh. (rte.ie)
- whatStokes pleaded guilty to a section three assault on the restaurant owner, Peter Vocella. (rte.ie)
- whatVocella sustained a cut to his finger during the altercation. (rte.ie)
- whatPatrick Stokes pleaded guilty to assault causing serious harm to Martin McDonagh. (longfordleader.ie)
- whatPatrick Stokes stabbed at the victim and continued to slash at him inside the restaurant. (longfordleader.ie)
- whatThe attack lasted only a couple of minutes. (longfordleader.ie)
- whereThe incident unfolded in front of 10 to 15 people, some of whom were young children (longfordleader.ie, offalyexpress.ie)
- whereThe incident occurred at Luigi's, Main Street, Longford. (offalyexpress.ie)
- whereThe attack took place at Luigi's chipper on Main Street, Longford. (rte.ie)
- whereThe attack happened at Luigi's fast food restaurant on Main Street, Longford. (longfordleader.ie)
- whenThe incident took place shortly after 3pm on 5 April 2022 (longfordleader.ie, offalyexpress.ie)
- whenThe attack happened on 5 April 2022. (rte.ie, longfordleader.ie)
- causeThe incident was linked to a violent and ongoing feud in the Longford area (longfordleader.ie, offalyexpress.ie)
- causeThe stabbing followed an earlier altercation at a filling station that day. (rte.ie)
- causeGardaí said the incident was part of a longstanding feud between the two families. (rte.ie)
- causeThe incident started after an earlier altercation at a fuel station in Longford town. (longfordleader.ie)
- causeThe attack was part of an ongoing feud between two Longford families that began 17 years earlier. (longfordleader.ie)
- weaponStokes produced a Stanley carpet knife and slashed at Mr McDonagh. (rte.ie)
- weaponPatrick Stokes attacked Martin McDonagh with a Stanley knife. (longfordleader.ie)
- investigationStokes turned himself in to gardaí after the incident and cooperated fully. (rte.ie)
- investigationPatrick Stokes turned himself in to gardaí and cooperated fully. (longfordleader.ie)
- chargeHe was charged with intentionally or recklessly causing serious harm (Section 4 assault) (longfordleader.ie, offalyexpress.ie)
- chargeTwo further charges were outstanding: alleged production of a knife and an alleged Section 3 assault on another male (longfordleader.ie)
- chargeTwo further charges were outstanding: production of a knife and a Section 3 assault on another male at the same location. (offalyexpress.ie)
- chargeA section three assault sentence of two years was reduced to one year and runs concurrently. (longfordleader.ie)
- chargeThe production of an article charge was taken into consideration. (longfordleader.ie)
- courtPatrick Stokes entered a guilty plea at Longford Circuit Criminal Court on 19 January 2023 (longfordleader.ie)
- courtJudge Kenneth Connolly remanded Stokes on continuing bail to 9 May 2023 for sentencing (longfordleader.ie)
- courtPatrick Stokes entered a guilty plea at Longford Circuit Criminal Court on 22 January 2023. (offalyexpress.ie)
- courtJudge Kenneth Connolly granted requests for a probation report and a psychiatric report and remanded Stokes on continuing bail to 9 May 2023 for sentencing. (offalyexpress.ie)
- courtThe sentencing hearing took place at Longford Circuit Court before Judge Kenneth Connolly. (rte.ie)
- courtThe judge noted Patrick Stokes's early guilty plea, genuine remorse and willingness to pay compensation. (longfordleader.ie)
- courtThe judge set a headline sentence of 12 years and reduced it to seven years and six months with mitigation. (longfordleader.ie)
- sentenceThe judge fixed a headline sentence of 12 years for the section four assault. (rte.ie)
- sentenceThe judge reduced the section four sentence to seven years and six months, suspending the final 12 months for three years. (rte.ie)
- sentenceFor the section three assault, the judge imposed a one-year sentence to run concurrently. (rte.ie)
- sentenceThe judge suspended the final 12 months for three years. (longfordleader.ie)
- sentencePatrick Stokes will serve six and a half years in prison. (longfordleader.ie)
- otherStokes was on bail in connection to the incident and was a married father of three children (longfordleader.ie)
- otherOne of Stokes' children had been diagnosed with autism (longfordleader.ie)
- otherStokes had been under the care of community psychiatric services for the past seven years (longfordleader.ie)
- otherThe victim, in his 20s, sustained serious injuries including several slash wounds to his upper body. (offalyexpress.ie)
- otherStokes is a married father of three children, one of whom has been diagnosed with autism. (offalyexpress.ie)
- otherStokes has been under the care of community psychiatric services for the past seven years. (offalyexpress.ie)
- otherMr McDonagh sustained a number of serious injuries during the incident. (rte.ie)
- otherA medical report said Mr McDonagh's injuries could have been fatal. (rte.ie)
- otherStokes entered a guilty plea at the first opportunity and expressed remorse. (rte.ie)
- otherMartin McDonagh suffered a large number of wounds consistent with stabbing. (longfordleader.ie)
- otherThe ambulance personnel described the injuries as severe and life threatening. (longfordleader.ie)
- otherA medical report said a tourniquet applied by the owner and a customer may have saved the victim's life. (longfordleader.ie)
- otherThe restaurant owner, Peter Vocella, was cut on the finger while trying to help Martin McDonagh. (longfordleader.ie)
- otherPatrick Stokes has previous convictions, the most recent for production of an article, assault and affray on Ballymahon Street, where Martin McDonagh was also the injured party. (longfordleader.ie)
The reporting
newest first- 17 May2023'I could never feel Longford could ever be a safe place for me or my family', says stabbing victim as attacker is jailed for six and a half years
Reports the May 2023 sentencing of Patrick Stokes at Longford Circuit Court, including the Stanley knife attack, the feud context, the victim impact statement, and the sentence reduction. No existing case covers this 2022 incident; the existing Patrick Stokes case (4994) concerns a different 2024 stabbing.
victim, Martin McDonagh, male, irish (judged from name)Martin McDonaghconvicted, Patrick Stokes, 28, male, named, irish (judged from name)Patrick Stokes - 9 May2023Man jailed over 'vicious' Longford assault
Reports the sentencing hearing at Longford Circuit Court on 9 May 2023: Judge Kenneth Connolly imposed a sentence of seven years and six months with the final 12 months suspended, and a concurrent one-year sentence for the section three assault on Peter Vocella. Adds the court details, victim impact statements, the feud background and the defendant's apology.
convicted, Patrick Stokes, 28, male, named, irish (judged from name)Patrick Stokesvictim, Martin McDonagh, male, irish (judged from name)Martin McDonaghvictim, Peter Vocella, malePeter Vocella - 22 Jan2023Man pleads guilty to alleged feud related stabbing at fast food restaurant in the Midlands
Reports the guilty plea hearing at Longford Circuit Criminal Court, details of the two further outstanding charges (production of a knife and Section 3 assault on another male), the victim's injuries (slash wounds to upper body), Stokes' personal circumstances (married father of three, one child with autism, under community psychiatric care for seven years), and his remand on continuing bail to 9 May 2023 for sentencing.
accused, Patrick Stokes, 28, male, named, irish (judged from name)Patrick Stokesvictim, 20s, male - 19 Jan2023BREAKING: Longford man pleads guilty to alleged feud related stabbing at fast food restaurant
Reports the guilty plea hearing at Longford Circuit Criminal Court, details of the two outstanding charges (production of a knife and Section 3 assault), the victim's injuries, the feud context, Stokes' personal circumstances, and his remand on continuing bail to 9 May 2023 for sentencing.
accused, Patrick Stokes, 28, male, named, irish (judged from name)Patrick Stokesvictim, 20s, male