A petrified woman was attacked and threatened with being killed in her caravan home – by her own brother and his wife during a terrifying incident involving the traveller community at Risley, Warrington.
And after injuring her with a knife and a baseball bat the couple, and a youth armed with a scythe, wrecked her caravan home and also those of her relatives at an encampment on Silver Lane.
Liverpool Crown Court heard that the terrifying incident took place because the victim, Thilda Doherty had contributed towards the funeral costs of her dad – flying in the face of the travelling community’s tradition of only sons paying.
The terrifying incident landed Arthur McGinley behind bars for 33 months and his wife, Margaret McGinley received a 27 month prison sentence.
The couple, who have 11 children, admitted their behaviour and the court heard that they are hopeful of a reconciliation with the victim.
But a judge, Recorder Paul Taylor, ruled that the offences were too serious for anything other than an immediate sentence to be imposed.
He said the reason for the attack was that Arthur’s sister “had affronted” the “custom and culture” of the travelling community by paying money towards the funeral costs.
As a result “they armed themselves and attacked a defenceless woman in her own home…Her forearm was slashed causing a substantial injury.”
Simon Parry, prosecuting, had told the court that Thilda was awoken in the early hours of February 2 when the McGinley’s van entered the Silver Lane travellers site in Warrington.
“The McGinleys were living in Ellesmere Port at the time. This was a targeted and deliberate attack on the Dohertys with the McGinleys travelling from Ellesmere Port to north Warrington in the early hours of the morning,” he said.
Thilda was alone in her caravan when she heard a vehicle drive down the lane and then someone breaking the front window of her caravan.
“She heard the voice of her brother Arthur McKinley shouting ‘I’m Arthur, come out,I’m going to kill you.’ She opened the door, Arthur was stood there with a large weapon which she describes as having a long handle with a knife on the end, which he dropped.
“She saw he had a belt on with knives and he took a Stanley knife from this and as she opened the door, Arthur slashed at her left forearm with the knife, causing an injury.
“Around the same time, Margaret McGinley hit Thilda to the right side of her face/neck with a baseball bat. Thilda briefly lost consciousness and was trying to close the door whilst Arthur and Margaret were still making threats to harm her,” said Mr Parry.
“Thilda managed to close the door, but they carried on damaging the caravan, putting the windows and the sides through. She was panicking and felt like she was going to have a heart attack.
“She dropped her phone in a panic and was screaming for help and for the police. She heard Margaret say ‘Come out, we’re killing you. You’ll never make it to hospital’.”
Mr Parry said that the youth tried to get in through the window while Margaret was saying go in and get them. Then they stopped and Arthur said ‘You don’t mess with me. You won’t make it to the hospital, I’ll be back.’
They then drove off and Thilda discovered that they had smashed the windows of the caravan her son Simon shared with his wife and two children, with meat cleavers and threatened to kill them if they went to the police.
When they saw him looking at them Arthur started smashing the window in the door making further threats. The attack then involved the caravan belonging to Simon’s brother Barney.
“He heard the disturbance at the site and saw a sharp object coming through his caravan window. He looked out and saw Arthur and Margaret with weapons in their hands. He saw Margaret smash the rear window of his caravan.”
Mr Parry said Arthur and the youth were shouting threats such as “I am going to stab you’ and “If you call the police, we will kill you.’
His partner did call the police and he heard the defendants moving onto other caravans and smashing them up too.
The three defendants fled but police stopped their Toyota Hiace on Chester Road, Daresbury and they were arrested. Inside the van were an ice-pick type axe, another pickaxe, and a scythe.
When interviewed Arthur produced a prepared statement saying he had been drinking and while being driven by his wife to get more alcohol he fell asleep. He denied any involvement in the incident and his wife and the youth made no comment.
McGinley,aged 36 and Margaret McGinley, 38, both of London Road, Coventry and the youth, now 17, all pleaded guilty to affray. Arthur also pleaded guilty to possessing the craft knife and assault and Margaret also admitted possessing the baseball bat.
The youth, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, also admitted possessing the scythe. His case was sent to the Youth Court for sentence.
Anthony O’Donohoe, defending, said, “The incident has its roots in the cultural attitude within the travelling community that the sons of the deceased pay for the funeral.”
Thilda paid an equal share to their father’s which caused consternation within the family, he explained.
He said that Arthur, who had been drunk, accepted the incident “must have been terrifying and he deeply regrets what he did.”
He and his wife had spent six weeks in custody on remand and their children, the youngest just a toddler, had to be split up with various foster families and they were concerned about the impact on them if they were jailed.
The court heard that Arthur, a construction worker, was “essentially of good character” and the other two defendants have no previous convictions.
His wife’s barrister, Joanne Maxwell, said that she and Thilda had been very close and she is ashamed of her behaviour. “She is more than hopeful of a reconciliation with Thilda and the rest of the family.”
She cannot read or write and took the youth with them to navigate.
Olivia Beesley, defending the youth, said that he had pleaded guilty and is a hard worker.
