KNIFE ATTACK: THIS IS JOHN GIBBONS WHO STABBED MARTIN COYLE IN THE BACK
A COUPLE terrorised by a family gang in Co Donegal have spoken of their horror when a thug who attacked them walked free.
John Gibbons (pictured right) and his brother Joe have been terrorising the community in Fanad for years, garda sources have confirmed to Donegal Daily.
And there was widespread shock yesterday when we reported that John Gibbons had been given 240 hours of Community Service when he pleaded guilty to assaulting well-known and well-liked Kerrykeel publicans Martin and Laura Coyle.
The owners of the Village Inn – sponsors of a range of community activities including Fanad Gaels GAA club and Fanad United soccer team – were terrorised in October 2010 when the Gibbons used their own grandmother’s death as cover for a vicious attack.
Donegal Daily reported the court case yesterday. A link to that report is at the bottom of this story.
“I was horrified when Judge John O’Hagan gave Gibbons community service,” said Mr Coyle.
“I was certain that he was going to go to jail. When the judge gave his verdict I was in shock; I’m still in shock. I was battered outside my pub, inside my pub and then stabbed in the back with a steak knife.
“It was hard to take. It’s still very hard to take.”
His wife Laura, who was punched and head-butted, said: “The Gardai did their job. Garda Dempsey investigated the case.
“There was CCTV, forensics from the knife they used to stab Martin, and loads of witnesses who gave statements.
“When Gibbons walked out of those court doors behind me it was as if he’d gotten away with it. I was in tears. We can’t explain it and we don’t feel the judge explained it to us.”
The community of Kerrykeel and Fanad has been rallying around the couple, with phone calls and message since Donegal Daily reported the case last night.
You can leave messages of support for the couple here:
https://www.facebook.com/TheVillageInnKerrykeel?fref=ts
Joe Gibbons is on the run and believed to be living openly in London. If any of our Donegal readers in the English capital see him, they should report his whereabouts to the Metropolitan Police.
Our court report from yesterday is here: