'It eats me alive every day that I could not protect her from this monster of a man that stabbed her to death'
Paula Canty was described as having a 'very soft, pleasant nature that was very evident with her very close connection to her family and her many friends'.
A kitchen knife was plunged into the chest of a young mother of two and she was left by her killer to die in a pool of blood in an apartment in Mallow, it emerged at the sentencing hearing on Monday.
The late Paula Canty’s sister, Rianna Thorpe, described how the family were left in January 2025 to organise her funeral on days when they should have been organising her 32nd birthday.
Her heartbroken mother, Sinéad Canty, said she was “snatched from us in the prime of her youth”. Her brother, Darragh Canty, said a monster of a man had brutally stabbed her and left her to die alone.
43-year-old Joseph Butler of the Belfry, Bridewell Lane, Mallow, pleaded guilty to the unlawful killing of 31-year-old Paula Canty at the Belfry, Bridewell Lane, Mallow, Co Cork, on January 3, 2025.
Sentencing evidence in the manslaughter case was heard by Ms Justice Eileen Creedon at the Central Criminal Court sitting in Cork on Monday.
Detective Sergeant Mícheál O’Regan testified assistant State pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster found one single stab wound to the chest, which was 11.5cm deep, and concluded Ms Canty died as a result of haemorrhage and shock. The weapon was a long sharply pointed kitchen knife which was found discarded in a laneway in the town.
The deceased was in a relationship with Joseph Butler’s brother and they had all been drinking together earlier with another woman. The defendant claimed the stabbing occurred during a scuffle and Ms Canty was still alive when he left the apartment.
However, Det Sgt O’Regan said this claim was inconsistent with the evidence, including the blood patterning found at the scene, which indicated she would have fallen forward on her face in the instant she was stabbed.
The detective said Joseph Butler was texting a female friend in the moments afterwards about what happened. Hours later he was texting the same woman to say: “Delete everything. Something bad is after happening.” Detectives were able to recover the deleted communications from both phones.
When questioned by gardaí, he said it was an accident and he didn’t even know she was dead when he left the apartment.
He also said at interview with Detective Garda Aidan Long: “If I did it, it was an accident. She was a friend, family… Back at the house, myself and Michael were fighting, throwing boxes, missing more than we hit.
"I was calling Paula bad words, bringing up her past. Paula pulled a knife, there was a struggle. I pushed Paula away and grabbed the knife. There was an accident over the struggle… I left with the knife. Paula was grand when I left. I went up Chinese Lane and threw the knife away on the grass. It had to happen in the struggle.”
The defendant asked Det Garda Long: “Would you feel guilty if you murdered someone?” Det Garda Long replied that he would. Joseph Butler then said after this exchange: “I don’t feel guilty. It was an accident, she’s family. I didn’t know she was dead until I got a phone call at 10.30am from my niece.”
The knife was found on Jones Lane in Mallow when gardaí searched for it. Joseph Butler told them roughly where he had thrown it away.
Mr Butler had more than 50 previous convictions, including three for assault, two for assault causing harm, one for having a knife or other article, one for aggravated burglary, two for making threats to kill, eight for theft and 20 public order convictions.
Prosecution senior counsel Donal O’Sullivan said the DPP put sentencing in the range of 10 to 15 years for this manslaughter.
Ray Boland, defence senior counsel, said the fatality came from a single wound and the main mitigating factor was the plea of guilty to manslaughter.
“He is a man with many difficulties in his past. He grew up in an environment of violence and addiction. He has genuine remorse for the tragic death of Ms Canty, backed up by his plea of guilty,” Mr Boland said.
Ms Justice Eileen Creedon said she would impose sentence on the accused on October 16.
Detective Garda Anne Flynn read victim impact statements on behalf of members of Paula Canty’s family.
Sinéad Canty, mother of the deceased said, “January 3rd, 2025, was the day my life changed for ever. This was the day that my darling daughter Paula had been brutally stabbed to death by this man. Being snatched from us in the prime of her youth of only 32 years old is difficult to cope with and all her life ahead to create many happy memories with her loving family is gone forever.
“Paula had a very soft, pleasant nature that was very evident with her very close connection to her family and her many friends. She had a creative and artistic personality that is reflected in her artwork, flower-arranging skills and her love of make-up, highlighting the beauty she deeply recognised within.
“Myself and Paula had a very close bond and she was like a best friend to me. No matter how her day was going she always communicated with me at least once and often several times a day. My heart breaks that I will never receive just one call from her again.”
Paula’s brother, Darragh, said: “I always tried to protect her as a little brother would do and it eats me alive every day that I could not protect her from this monster of a man that stabbed her to death. I never thought I would have to sit down and write a letter on how I feel about her being viciously snatched from us.
“Our lives have been thrown upside down. The pain of knowing she was brutally stabbed to death and left to die in a pool of her own blood, scared, in pain, cold and alone are just some of the things Paula would have felt as her life was stolen from her just three days before her 32nd birthday.
“I replay it in my mind constantly and I struggle with anger, grief, anxiety and disbelief that someone could take her life this violently.
"It fills me with anger and hate that this man will get on with his life while my darling sister Paula is gone forever.”
Paula’s sister, Rianna Thorpe, said: “There have been so many moments where I wanted to call her to talk to her or share something with her, only to remember she is no longer there. There are days where the sadness feels overwhelming. The pain does not disappear, it follows me into every important moment and reminds me of everything she has missed out on and everything I had to face without her.
“We really enjoyed each other’s company and we were very close to each other throughout Paula’s life that has been cut so short. We had great laughter and joy, especially when we went out for lunch or went on a shopping spree together.
“Paula, I miss you more than anything, I really miss our leisurely walks along the beach where we had great chats and laughs but I will not get to walk with you again there.
“Not a day passes that I don’t think of Paula and her brutal death and the devastation we faced in organising her funeral when in reality we should have been organising her 32nd birthday celebration.”
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