Man jailed following stabbing at North Yorkshire holiday park
It happened at Flamingo Land Resort in September 2025
A man has been jailed for four and a half years following a stabbing at Flamingo Land Resort in North Yorkshire.
Joshua Donnelly, a 22-year-old from Middlesbrough, pleaded guilty to Section 18 wounding with intent and was sentenced at York Crown Court on Friday, 12th June 2026.
The incident occurred at Flamingo Land Resort, Kirby Misperton, near Pickering, just after 1am on 18th September last year.
Donnelly left a caravan in anger after a domestic disagreement, and encountered a holidaymaker who tried to calm the situation.
In response, Donnelly stabbed him three times in the abdomen with a knife he had taken from the caravan.
The victim, a 38-year-old man from the Scottish Borders on a family holiday, required emergency surgery for a serious injury.
After the attack, Donnelly fled the holiday park but was later apprehended by police officers over the Cleveland Police border on the same day.
Key evidence included the knife discarded in bushes and CCTV footage capturing key moments of the incident.
Donnelly was remanded in custody following the seriousness of the offence and was eventually left with little choice but to plead guilty due to the strength of evidence against him.
Police Investigator Liberty Ashton from Scarborough and Ryedale CID said, “Despite surviving the unprovoked knife attack, it has had a huge, long-term effect on the victim and his family.”
The victim's personal statement provided a stark insight into the ongoing impact of the incident, detailing mobility issues, mental health struggles, and financial challenges attributed to the events.
The traumatic experience has left long-lasting effects on his son and the rest of his family, with noticeable changes in their behaviour and lifestyle.
The sentencing aims to offer some comfort to the victim and his family, helping them to move forward with their lives after enduring such distress.