Moment thugs stalk pensioner earlier than killing him in botched watch theft as he tried to go to his associate with dementia: Pair jailed

A pair of thugs were caught on CCTV following a vulnerable grandfather before they tried to steal his watch – leaving the OAP with fatal injuries. 

Footage shows Neil O’Donnell, 83, driving to a rehabilitation centre in Shatmoor Lane, Hall Green, Birmingham, on May 14, where he was going to visit his partner, who suffers from dementia. 

But haunting clips revealed how he is stalked by career criminal Tony Griffin, 54, who is seen approaching the pensioner. 

Armed with a screwdriver, Mr Griffin runs toward Neil’s car as he tries to steal his watch. 

The grandfather managed to fend the thug off but was injured in the struggle. 

Separately, Wesley McDonnell, 46, was seen on CCTV looking at Neil’s watch in a Co-op shop around half an hour before the attack. 

The pensioner died a week after he was attacked.

Mr McDonnell and Mr Griffin, both of College Road, Birmingham, were found guilty of manslaughter on Tuesday after a trial at Warwick Crown Court in November. 

Their sentencing hearing was told that Mr Griffin had a tool when he approached Neil’s car to rob the watch.

Judge Kristina Montgomery KC said Neil was ‘active and independent’ and the actions of the two men caused his family ‘profound grief’.

The judge said: ‘Wesley McDonnell, you went into that shop and coincidentally crossed paths with Neil O’Donnell.

‘You clearly noticed his age, his physical appearance and the watch on his arm, which appeared to be a Rolex – and that it would be valuable and portable.

‘It was there and then you began to form the plan to rob Neil O’Donnell of his watch.’

The judge said Neil shouted for Mr Griffin to get off him and threw punches during the attack shortly after they had followed his car.

She said to Mr Griffin: ‘In the course of your struggle with him, you grappled his right arm by a twisting motion which caused a significant loss of skin to his arm.’

An infection of his wound later caused his death, the court heard.

Judge Montgomery said she does not find that Mr McDonnell played a minor role, adding: ‘This was a joint enterprise in the truest sense, each of you playing a pivotal role in its commission.’

Mr Griffin admitted attempted robbery before they went on trial, and Mr McDonnell was convicted of the same offence by the jury.

Neil’s daughter wrote a statement, which was read aloud to the court, saying the impact of his death had been ‘immeasurable’.

She said: ‘His death should not have happened. He should be here with his infectious humour and positive personality.’

She added that his partner’s dementia had ‘escalated through grief’.

Both Mr Griffin and Mr McDonnell have a number of previous convictions dating back decades for offences such as burglary, robbery and weapons offences, the court heard.

The judge said to Mr Griffin: ‘You have never shown any true accountability or remorse for your actions.

‘You have lied and lied in the course of the investigatory stages of this case and in your evidence before the jury.’

The court heard that Mr McDonnell was sorry to Neil’s family for what happened and wished he was able to spend time with his young grandchildren.

Detective Inspector Nigel Box, from the West Midlands Police homicide team, said: ‘This was a violent attack on an elderly man who was simply going about his day.

‘We were able to show that the injury to Neil’s arm directly led to his death, and the CCTV showed Griffin and McDonnell as the two men involved.

‘They are both career criminals and wrongly assumed Neil would be an easy target.’