'Psychotic cowardly killer' who stabbed aunt's partner from 'almost top to toe' is jailed 

Ryan Kearney, who had 152 previous convictions, claimed he was acting in self-defence when he stabbed his aunt's partner 16 times

Ryan Kearney was sentenced to 10 years in prison with the final year suspended for a period of three years. It was backdated to when he went into custody on February 8, 2024. File picture

A "psychotic cowardly killer" with 152 previous convictions who said he was acting in self-defence when he stabbed his aunt's partner 16 times in a "frenzied knife" attack has been jailed for nine years.

Sentencing alcoholic Ryan Kearney at the Central Criminal Court on Thursday, Mr Justice Paul Burns said the "extreme and sustained violence" used by the defendant was "truly shocking" and that the deceased's ability to defend himself had been impaired due to his level of intoxication.