Daniel O’Donnell moved to Barrow in January 2021 from Birmingham after getting a contract with BAE as a senior manufacturing engineer.
But his life was turned upside down when a member of the public found a court case online of another Daniel O’Donnell, from Birkenhead, who was convicted of rape at the age of 16 in 2005. He was locked up for four and a half years for the crime at Liverpool Crown Court.
The man posted the case on Facebook alongside a photo of the innocent Mr O’Donnell, saying he was responsible for the crime. He said he has even received death threats as a result of this.
Mr O’Donnell has provided evidence to The Mail to prove he has never lived in Birkenhead or committed the crime.
The 33-year-old has had a torrid time despite the posts now being removed. He believes ‘the damage has been done’ and now he is concerned it may impact his ability to get another job after his contract ended with BAE shortly before Christmas.
“I moved here around this time last year,” he said.
“I did not have a huge amount of family in Birmingham and I moved my whole life here.
“After I was speaking to a girl, a man did not like this and put up a post on social media saying that I was a rapist after they found the story online.
“The next day I messaged him saying that this was not me and he did take down the post but obviously by then the damage had been done.
“My next door neighbour has gone to the police station and asked why they were not informed about me moving in and the kids on the street have been told not to play out anymore.
“It has just ruined my life.”
Mr O’Donnell said he was now scared to go out of his house in case anyone gives him abuse. It has even stopped him from going to job interviews.
He expressed his wish to have a normal life and make more friends in the area - which has been impacted by the Covid pandemic.
Mr O’Donnell has sent letters to his neighbours trying to clear his name and said he is ‘a good person and should not have to do that’.
“I just want to clear my name,” he said.
In regard to the incident of threats to kill, a Cumbria Police spokeswoman said: “Police were contacted at 12.24pm on the February 3, with the report of an incident of harassment and threats to kill. The incident occurred around 10am on The Strand, Barrow and involved three men.
“Two men, described as in their 20’s or 30’s, are reported to have made threats to kill the third man, aged 33, who was walking in the area.
“There were no reported injuries.
“The 33-year-old man was offered referral to support services following the incident and safeguarding advice was provided.”
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