Man gets jail after toddler dies in fire

The distraught parents of a Limerick toddler who died after an arson attack on her home said they hoped the man convicted of her murder "rots in jail".

Jackie and Robert Ryan were speaking outside the Central Criminal Court in Limerick after 23 year-old Patrick Slattery was jailed for life for the murder of their four-year-old daughter.

"I hope he rots in jail," said Katelyn's heartbroken mother, who was wearing a locket containing a picture of her late daughter.

Those sentiments were echoed by her husband, Robert, who described Katelyn as a "little angel" and said life would never be the same again.

"Our lives are still not back together and never will be," he said.

Patrick Slattery, of 15 Garryglass Avenue, Ballinacurra Weston, Limerick, pleaded guilty to the murder of four year-old Katelyn Ryan on April 8, 2003.

Little Katelyn died at Crumlin Children's Hospital two days after a firebomb attack on her home at Lenihan Avenue, Prospect, in which she suffered horrific burns.

The court heard yesterday that when Jackie Ryan woke up in the early hours of the morning the room was thick with smoke and and her children were crying.

The mother of five jumped from a bedroom window with 16 month-old baby daughter, Leah, in her arms and suffered a serious back injury in the fall.

A check was made on all the children as soon as they evacuated the burning house, but there was no sign of little Katelyn, the court heard.

She was later found lying unconscious on the ground in her parents bedroom between the bed and a wardrobe and had suffered extensive burns.

Katelyn was rushed to Limerick Regional Hospital and later transferred to Crumlin Children's Hospital, where she died on April 8, 2003.

Detective Garda Gerry O'Doherty gave evidence to the court that following his arrest traces of partially evaporated petrol were found on the accused man's clothing.

Initially, Slattery had denied involvement in the arson attack but later he admitted his role and made a statement to gardaí.

In the statement, Patrick Slattery claimed that Darragh Ryan - the 14-year-old son of Jackie and Robert - had been terrorising his mother and his younger brothers.

The windows in his mother's house had been smashed and Patrick Slattery had been beaten up in his own home by relatives of Darragh, the court heard.

Darragh had been "at everyone in the area" and the accused felt he could not tolerate any more abuse from the 14-year-old.

Evidence was heard that Patrick Slattery had been drinking in a house with friends and they were all talking about Darragh Ryan and "it all just built up".

"I didn't mean to hurt anyone - I just wanted to scare him," he said.