Karen Marie McDonald breaks down as jury finds her guilty of Pat Ward manslaughter

A jury has found a woman guilty of the manslaughter of Pat Ward.

Karen Marie McDonald was cleared of murder following a trial at Dungannon Crown Court over the past two weeks. The 37-year-old of McCrea Park, Clogher wept as the verdict was announced while Mr Ward’s wife, parents and family sat just feet behind her, accompanied by police liaison and uniformed officers.

She denied murdering Mr Ward on 9 February 2019 and when alternative counts of manslaughter, gross negligence manslaughter and assisting an offender were added, these were also denied.

McDonald's partner Niall Cox (27) initially also denied murder, but changed his plea and is awaiting sentencing. The 30-year-old victim’s lifeless, half-naked body man was discovered in an alleyway having been dragged there by Cox from McDonald’s home where a brutal attack had taken place. CCTV would emerge showing the victim’s wife Ellie Ward walking the area in nightclothes shortly after 4.40am, searching in vain after he didn’t come home and calls to his phone went unanswered. Around 90 minutes later, the CCTV captured Cox dragging Mr Ward by his arms from McDonald’s before abandoning him in the alleyway where he was discovered by a couple walking to work. McDonald carried him by his legs a short distance before dropping them and returning indoors.

Pathologist Professor Jack Crane said Mr Ward was “beaten, kicked, stabbed and struck a number of times to the head with a heavy, blunt elongated object… Extensive blood loss, combined with the head and chest injuries were responsible for rapid but not immediate death”.

It is believed a number of weapons were used including a machete and a barbell. McDonald insisted she had no role in the attack nor in cleaning up the bloodied scene in her home.

Instead she contended she acted under duress, due to fear of Cox who had subjected her to significant violence.

When Mrs Ward called at McDonald’s home looking for her husband, she accepted lying but contended she had to go along with Cox. Mr Ward had hidden upstairs when his wife called as he did not want to go home. Cox had opened the door to Mrs Ward and told her the victim was not there which McDonald said in evidence, “I knew this to be a lie.” She also accepted telling Mrs Ward to keep quiet as she had two children upstairs and that Mr Ward hard left in a taxi for Enniskillen, neither of which were true. Instead, she claimed having returned downstairs Mr Ward attempted to kiss her which Cox observed and “grossly overreacted”. When summing up the prosecution case John Orr KC told the jury, while McDonald claimed to be petrified of Cox, she never reported his abusive behaviour to police. Even in the short time she carried Mr Ward’s legs while Cox dragged him by the arms, it was obvious the injuries were extremely serious, but she did nothing to help, said Mr Orr. He also pointed out McDonald told Mrs Ward to keep quiet as she had two children upstairs, then proceeded to say Mr Ward got a taxi to Enniskillen, despite knowing full well where he was. Neither were true, leading Mr Orr to ask, “Why would she lie to this man’s wife?” Defence counsel Desmond Fahy KC told the jury: “You don’t need to be a solicitor, barrister or judge to see what’s going on here. Niall Cox murdered Pat Ward. Karen McDonald did not murder him and there is no evidence to support a conviction.” He said: “She got herself away from it. She had seen before what Cox was capable of. It’s not good enough to suggest she was playing the victim card. She was a victim of Niall Cox. But there’s only one victim in this trial and that is Pat Ward who was murdered by Niall Cox.”

In addressing the jury, Mr Justice Fowler explained the alternative charges and advised while McDonald contended she acted under duress, this cannot be a defence to murder, but can apply in the alternative charges. The jury were asked to decide if the evidence against McDonald is applicable for conviction on any or none of the counts. After deliberating for around two hours the jury returned a guilty verdict on manslaughter and cleared McDonald of the rest. Judge Fowler thanked Mr Ward’s family for the dignified manner in which they had conducted themselves throughout the entire process. After they had filed out of the courtroom, McDonald was handcuffed and returned to custody. She will appear alongside Cox for sentencing in April.

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