A Longford man was sentenced in the Central Criminal Court yesterday to eight years' imprisonment for the manslaughter of another man in a "drugs war" in November 1997.
Richard Keating (26), of Templemichael Terrace, Long ford, had pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to the manslaughter of Mr Christopher Farrell (18), of Richmond Close, during a fight involving a number of men in and around Annaly Park, Longford, early on Sunday, November 2nd, 1997.
The fight followed an earlier altercation involving Keating at a local disco. This row continued in a laneway known as "Razor Blade alley" and led to a chase which ended in Annaly Park, where Mr Farrell was stabbed.
Insp Aiden Glackin said Keating had 24 previous convictions.
In a statement to gardai, Keating said that after taking a kitchen knife from his home and hiding it in bushes, he later returned to fetch it and hid it in his clothing, Insp Glackin said.
The statement said Keating, with a number of friends, came across a group of men, one of whom shouted: "Come here, Keating". The man ran at Keating and hit him with a wooden stick.
"I ran back across the green, and four men were chasing me. One hit me with a bar, and I fell on to my knees. I pulled out a big knife with a black handle and I stabbed one of the men in the thigh. It was Christie Farrell that was holding on to me. He held me by the shoulders and held me by the stomach."
Keating told gardai in his statement: "I did not mean to kill Christie Farrell. I was afraid for myself when I saw the gang coming after me."
Keating later told gardai he was sorry for killing Mr Farrell.
Passing sentence, Mr Justice Kinlen said Keating was involved in a "drugs war" between two rival gangs fighting for "ownership or control of territory" to sell drugs.
Keating, who was using heroin at the time, "set out that night with a knife terrified he would be assaulted, and was assaulted," Mr Justice Kinlen said.
After another altercation, Keating produced a knife, stabbed his assailant and killed this man, he said.
The judge recommended that the prisoner take counselling for anger management in prison.