'Not even my wife's brain tumour stopped thugs beating us in Chelsea revenge attack' reveals TV's Donal MacIntyre Charlotte Spratt
19th June 2009
Undercover reporter Donal MacIntyre and his wife were viciously attacked by friends of a football hooligan - even though he told them his wife had a brain tumour. The four smartly-dressed thugs set upon the couple in a Surrey wine bar and even punched the Dancing On Ice star's wife in the face, arms and legs.
MacIntyre said he spoke to the men and asked them to leave them alone while they had a quiet drink before Ameera De La Rose's brain scan the following morning. 'They were giving us verbal abuse and I asked them to give us break. I said we were having a quiet drink before Ameera goes into hospital for a brain scan. She was due to go in on Thursday morning. I told them she has a brain tumour but we didn't even finish our drink before I was attacked. I can take the slings and arrows that come with the job but when it involves my wife or my family it is very traumatic. She is extremely distressed.'
MacIntyre, 43, who has two young children, was punched to the ground by the men leaving him with a black eye, cut face and concussion. His wife, 32, who has a tumour on the pituitary gland in the brain, suffered bruising to her face, arms and legs as she tried to protect her husband.
The couple had been enjoying a quick drink in Cloud 9 wine bar in Hampton Court after presenting an award at a Mencap event in Camden and having dinner with family in West London. MacIntyre said his attack was linked to the prosecution of the notorious Chelsea Headhunters gang. In 1999, he filmed them planning an attack on rival fans after posing as a drug-dealing Ulster loyalist to infiltrate the gang. His exposé on BBC documentary MacIntyre Undercover led to the convictions of five men the following year.
Today he said he had been attacked not because he was TV journalist but because he had been a key witness in the prosecution of the Chelsea Headhunter Jason Marriner. He has had death and kidnapping threats and been assaulted in the past and had his car trashed and said he has had to move house many times. And he said he was now considering moving house again.
'I have moved house many, many times,' he said. 'After Wednesday's attack, it might require another review and we might have to take action again. I was attacked because I was a Crown Prosecution witness in the hooligans trials and this highlights the problem with witness intimidation. I really pleased the police are taking this seriously. It sends a message out that they will prosecute when those who give evidence are intimidated.'
Police said a 48-year-old man from Addlestone, Surrey was arrested and quizzed on suspicion of assault.
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That's pretty rough, but it's not really surprising considering how nasty some of the people he's featured are.
Domenyk Noonan's new career – as a stand-up comedian
John Scheerhout
November 19, 2010
M.E.N
Gangster Domenyk Noonan has launched a new career – as a stand-up comic. Noonan – who claims to be a changed man who has found God – took a comedy course while he was in prison. He has now prepared a comedy routine which he will perform for the first time in public tonight, at a pub in Stockport.
He said: “When I was inside I was told I was funny and I should do it. So I did a course on stand-up comedy in prison. I love it. People are always asking me to tell a few jokes. I have loved watching comedy shows on TV since I was a kid. I’ve got a little routine now and I’m looking forward to performing it for the first time.”
Noonan, 46, was freed from Strangeways prison earlier this month after rape charges against him were dropped. He was released subject to strict conditions as he remains on license for a jail sentence imposed in 2005. It means he lives at an approved hostel and is subject to supervision. One of the conditions meant he could not speak to the media without permission. But Noonan challenged this condition so he could launch his new career – and won.
Noonan, who is originally from Moston, had been accused of raping a woman in a Stockport hotel room during his birthday celebrations. He insisted that they had consensual sex. Noonan – who has changed his name to Lattlay Fottfoy – always said the allegation was false. He said: “I should never have been charged. I’ll never celebrate my birthday again. It was a nightmare.” Now he is looking for somewhere to live in Stockport.
He was jailed in 2005 after a gun was found under the bonnet of his car. Noonan insists the gun was planted by criminals who then tipped off police. One appeal against his conviction has already been turned down, but now the Criminal Cases Review Commission is looking at whether the case should be sent back a second time to the Court of Appeal.
Protester glues himself to Strangeways Prison gate in demonstration against imprisonment of gangster
Amy Oliver
28 February 2012
A 25-year-old man today glued himself to Strangeways Prison gate in a bizarre protest against the continued detention of gangster. John Cain, Heywood, near Rochdale, Greater Manchester, covered his hands in adhesive before pressing them against a metal door at HMP Manchester. Ten police officers and an ambulance crew were called to the scene and had to use a special chemical to dissolve the glue and free Mr Cain. As he was led away he was heard asking police: 'Have you got a bucket? I think I’m going to be sick.' The incident, which stopped prison vans going in or out of the Strangeways complex for around an hour, started at about 8am. Mr Cain glued himself to the gate while other protesters held up a giant banner reading ‘Free Domenyk Noonan’.
Noonan, 47, was locked up in 2005 after a gun was found in the boot of his car. He was released on licence on 2010, but recalled after being arrested during the August riots on suspicion of conspiracy to commit violent disorder. No criminal charges have ever been brought. Under the terms of his licence, Noonan remains in jail pending a parole hearing originally expected this month. Mr Cain said: 'I want Domenyk Noonan out of here because he’s got no criminal charges against him - he’s been locked up for nothing. My pain for his justice.'
Noonan’s solicitor, Elaine Moloney, said: 'It’s time for the Ministry of Justice to put up or shut up - we need to see what evidence they have so we can challenge it. At the moment all we’ve seen is unsupported allegations - there’s been no hard facts or witnesses. It’s far too speculative. To challenge this we need full disclosure of the case.' A spokesman for Greater Manchester Probation Trust said: 'If an offender is determined not to change their behaviour then they will be recalled to custody should they breach the terms of their licence.' A spokesman for HM Prison Service said: 'A passive demonstration took place outside HMP Manchester at approximately 8am involving a handful of protesters. Although the incident caused a slight delay to prisoners leaving for court, there was no disruption to the prison regime.'
Mr Cain was arrested at the scene and later charged with criminal damage. He will appear at Manchester magistrates’ court on March 19.
A Notorious Gangster Climbed Up Manchester's Big Wheel Last Night
Chris Bethell
May 7 2014
vice.com
As far as grand public protests go, scaling a giant Ferris wheel and waving at the people below doesn't seem like it would ever really get much done. Unfortunately for Dominic Noonan – an ex-con and a member of Manchester's Noonan crime family (who you may recognise from any one of the three documentaries they've taken part in) – that's exactly the method he chose to register some disgust yesterday, as he climbed halfway up the Piccadilly Gardens wheel, attracting the attentions of the emergency services and hundreds of onlookers.
Speaking from his lofty perch, the 48-year-old explained that he was being recalled to prison. The reason? A "stupid argument over the washing up". The authorities had designated him a house to stay in while on probation but he'd stormed out after a spat over the dishes, and so was in breach of his licence conditions. He wasn't too taken with the idea of re-incarceration, so decided to follow a course of action that would also see him charged with wasting police time and reportedly cost the taxpayer "tens of thousands" of pounds.
He began scaling the wheel at about 3.30PM, and was down six hours later with the help of a team of fire-fighters. I got to the scene at about 6PM and spoke to some of the people who'd been watching everything unravel from below. This is what they had to say.
For whatever reason, some were hesitant to say much at all about this notorious local organised crime figure.
Dom and Callum
VICE: Have you guys been down here long?
Dom: We got to town about half one, so we've been here a while.
Callum: Innit.
D: Then we just watched the guy on the big eye. He's been there since about half three.
And you've been keeping an eye on everything?
C: Yeah, just been just chillin' over there.
Has anything interesting happened in the five hours since it started?
D: Nah, he's just been waving and shouting shit.
Did you wave back to him?
D: Yeah.
C: He pointed at me for time, like "You, you, you!" I found it weird, so I just waved again.
Okay. Did you hear about his plans to get into local politics?
D: Yeah, I did, actually.
Would you vote for him?
Definitely not.
Here's a fun story: while in Strangeways, Dom used to sing Irish lullabies and rebel songs to Dale Cregan.
That is west. That is so creepy.
Would you guys like him to sing you to sleep at night?
Definitely not.
C: Only if he was in a cage.
VICE: So how long have you been here watching?
Liam: Only about 20 minutes.
Do you know much about the Noonan family?
Well, obviously they've got a reputation, but I personally don't know about that. People say a lot of things about a lot of people. I haven't got an opinion, basically.
What have you personally heard about them, though?
Well, obviously they've been on TV and that. Like, doing crime and stuff. So that's how I know about them. I probably know about the same as what everyone else does.
Fair enough. Did you hear what sparked this off today?
I've heard rumours about a gun and that people are going to put him in a bad place for a while.
VICE: Hi Tom. Do you know much about why Dom is currently up the wheel?
Tom: Well, through the grapevine I've heard that he's got a recall to prison.
Did you hear that he was going to run for local MP?
[Laughs] I've not heard that, no.
Do you think this might hinder his chances of being elected?
Personally, I reckon it will actually do him justice.
Do you know much about his family history?
I saw his brother the night he died, actually. What's he called? Dessie Noonan. Yeah, I saw him stumbling out of the pub, so it's quite weird that I saw that and now I'm seeing this. It's quite strange.
VICE: How long have you been down here, Mike?
Mike: About 15 to 20 minutes now.
So you've missed out on the past four hours?
Yep, my girlfriend texted me saying that there was someone on the wheel. I was at the pub and I was leaving anyway, so I thought I'd just nip past and have a look.
Did you hear what sparked Dom into doing this?
Not really, no.
He broke the terms of his release licence by staying somewhere he wasn't supposed to, which led to the police recalling him to prison. But the reason he stayed at this place is supposedly because of an argument about the washing up.
I'd say that's fair enough. I'd probably do the same thing – I hate doing the dishes.
Do you think that this stunt could hinder his hopes of becoming an MP?
I don't know – I think it depends on who you speak to. It might help his chances. I might vote for him – he's someone interesting, at least.
VICE: So how long have you been here, Sven?
Sven: About ten years.
No, I meant watching Dom.
Oh, about an hour.
Have you seen anything interesting?
Not really – I've just heard that he's transported himself about halfway up the wheel in a blanket or something.
And a hard hat.
I suppose he'd need one.
Do you know much about the Noonan backstory?
No, not really. They have quite the reputation, though, which is... dynamic, I suppose. Anti-dynamic and techno-specs, as well.
Right, OK. Have you heard about his plans to become a local MP?
Full promotion to him if that's what he wants to do.
Do you think this will help his chances?
Possibly. Actually, it won't really do any good for him will it?
No, probably not.
Michael and Anya
VICE: How long have you guys been down here?
Anya: A while, but I didn't take notice at first – I just went shopping. The guy was still there when I came back, and I've been here since.
Have you guys met each other before?
Michael: We started talking because of it, and we've been talking ever since.
It's nice that Dom is helping to forge new friendships. Do you know much about him?
A: No, I thought he was a homeless guy or a drug addict.
M: Has he got a bald head?
Yeah.
Ah, OK – I've seen him in the 'paper.
A: So what's he up there for?
It's a protest against being recalled to prison.
Oh, this is a protest? I've heard everyone shouting "jump" at him all day.
[A random passer-by shouts, "Jump!']
Yeah, like that!
Dom Noonan didn't jump and was safely brought down from his skychair at about 9.30 last night.
Domenyk Noonan charged with public nuisance after climbing up Big Wheel
John Scheerhout
May 17, 2014
manchestereveningnews.co.uk
Domenyk Noonan has been charged with public nuisance following his Big Wheel stunt. The 49-year-old is due to appear before Manchester magistrates next month. He was released on bail pending his court appearance on condition he does not enter Piccadilly Gardens.
Two weeks ago he spent more than six hours perched 100ft above the ground on Manchester’s Big Wheel as part of a protest. He was arrested on suspicion of aggravated trespass. Noonan was charged with public nuisance under the name Lattlay-Fottfoy when he attended the North Manchester divisional HQ of Greater Manchester Police in Newton Heath on Saturday.
Afterwards, he told the MEN: “I’ll be pleading not guilty and going to trial.”
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