Six years in jail for Cork teenager who stabbed uncle to death

The Cork teenager who stabbed his uncle to death last year was jailed for six years today.

Mr Justice Paul Carney sentenced Christopher Ruby, (aged 18), of Ard Na Greine, Station Road, Blarney, Cork, for killing Shannon Ruby, (aged 30), on Saturday evening, September 26, 2009, at a neighbouring house at Ard Na Greine, Station Road, Blarney, Co Cork.

Mr Justice Carney said: “This court is having to deal with a depressingly large number of knife killings, largely perpetrated by the very young.”

The judge said that fatal knife crimes fall into three categories of seriousness and that the one committed by Christopher Ruby fell into the most serious category, as he left the scene of a fight in order to get a weapon and then he returned to find Shannon Ruby and kill him with it.

Ruby had previous convictions including counts for drug-dealing and assault.

Detective Garda Maurice Leahy outlined the background to the fatal incident.

The defendant and the deceased had been drinking and taking drugs in the hours before this fatal incident and that the deceased struck his nephew, in front of others, knocking him to the floor.

Christopher Ruby got up and went back into his own home nearby where he got the flick-knife from his bedroom. He went back to find the late Shannon Ruby and stabbed him a number of times. The fatal wound went through Shannon Ruby’s heart and through the liver.

The deceased’s partner, Nora Harty, said in a victim impact report: "He had a heart of gold. Life will never be the same without Shannon."

The deceased’s parents, Frank and Ursula, said in their victim impact report: "Unfortunately, the Shannon we knew and loved, turned to be addicted to heroin with an overwhelming need to feed his habit.

“Christopher turned against drugs. We would like to see Christopher maintain his drug-free status. We know he badly regrets his actions. He lived with us for 12 years. I class him also as a son.”

The family asked through this statement if the judge would let Christopher continue with his drug treatment and not send him to prison.

Mr Justice Carney said today that while he could not acced to the family’s request, the sentence would have been “significantly more substantial but for the plea they have made".