AN 18-YEAR-OLD who stabbed his uncle to death in a row over money for drugs is to be sentenced on Friday.
Christopher Ruby, with an address at Ard na Gréine, Station Road, Blarney, Co Cork, was 17 when he inflicted a fatal stab wound that penetrated his 30-year-old uncle’s heart.
Shannon Ruby, who was originally from Blarney, was pronounced dead at 9.30pm on September 26th, 2009. Christopher Ruby pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of his uncle last June.
Giving evidence at the Central Criminal Court sitting in Cork yesterday, Det Garda Maurice Leahy told Mr Justice Paul Carney that Shannon Ruby travelled to Ard na Gréine to visit friends with his partner Nora Hartey and their daughter Ann on September 26th.
The court heard that Shannon went to his sister’s house at Ard na Gréine while Ms Hartey went to visit a friend.
The group later gathered at the house of Shannon’s sister Rosamund, Christopher Ruby’s mother.
Counsel for the prosecution Tom Creed said that Christopher had been drinking beer, smoking hash and had consumed other drugs, when a row broke out between the two during which Shannon struck his nephew a number of times.
Mr Creed told the court that Shannon then left the house and went to the house of his partner’s friend, two doors away.
The court heard that Christopher Ruby then went upstairs, took a jagged-edged flick knife from his bedside locker and followed his uncle to the neighbouring house, number 6 Ard na Gréine, where he stabbed him.
Shannon Ruby sustained a stab wound to the back of his arm, indicating that he was attacked from behind. He also suffered a number of defence wounds to his hands and fingers.
The fatal stab wound pierced his heart and liver.
Christopher Ruby later told gardaí that he hid the knife under the seat of the couch in his mother’s sitting room.
He was arrested by gardaí that evening and taken to Gurranabraher Garda station for questioning.
In court yesterday, psychiatrist Brian McCaffrey told the court that Christopher was remorseful and that he had suffered from nightmares in which he was seeking forgiveness for the death of his uncle.
He said Christopher had visited his uncle’s grave several times.
In a victim impact statement, Shannon’s mother Ursula appealed for leniency as she told the court Christopher was like a son to her.
“The Shannon we knew and loved had an addiction to heroin for three or four years and he changed with the overwhelming need to feed that habit. We as a family would prefer to see Christopher stay off drugs and continue treatment,” she said.
In her victim impact statement, Nora Hartey said her partner had a heart of gold.
“Shannon will never see his daughter grow up. He missed her first step, her christening and her first birthday.
“Life will never be the same without him,” she said.
Christopher Ruby, who has 17 previous convictions, was initially charged with murder but the DPP agreed to the lesser charge of manslaughter on the basis that there was provocation.
Judge Paul Carney delayed sentencing until Friday.