Teen jailed for six years for killing uncle

THE Blarney teenager who stabbed his uncle to death last year was jailed for six years yesterday as the sentencing judge spoke out on the depressingly large number of knife killings committed by the very young in Ireland.

Mr Justice Paul Carney sentenced Christopher Ruby, 18, of Árd na Gréine, Station Road, Blarney, Cork, for killing Shannon Ruby, 30, on Saturday, September 26, 2009, at a neighbouring house at Árd na Gréine, Station Road, Blarney, Co Cork.

The judge said that fatal knife crimes fell into three categories of seriousness: someone picking up a knife being used for chopping carrots or something and then using it as a weapon; using a knife being carried for protection; and, thirdly, going away after a fight to get a knife and returning to use it. Mr Justice Carney said that the crime committed by Christopher Ruby fell into that third and most serious category, as he left the scene of a fight in order to get a weapon and then returned to find Shannon Ruby and kill him with it.