Second man held over fatal stabbing in Ballyfermot

A second man has been arrested by gardaí investigating the fatal stabbing of a father of five children in Ballyfermot last night…

A second man has been arrested by gardaí investigating the fatal stabbing of a father of five children in Ballyfermot last night.

The man, said to be in his late teens, was detained this afternoon. A 20-year-old man was arrested this morning and is being held under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act.

Mr Thomas Farrell (43) was stabbed when he confronted two men who were trying to steal his car from outside his house in Cherry Orchard Avenue last night.

It is understood he was stabbed in the back at around 8.30 p.m. after the two men followed him into his house. He was taken to St James's hospital but died shortly before 2 a.m.

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The scene of the attack was preserved by gardaí for technical examination.

Gardaí in Ballyfermot want to hear from anyone who may have been in the area at the time.

Labour's justice spokesman, Mr Joe Costello, described the murder as a "shocking tragedy", which has left a family devastated in the run-up to Christmas.

He called for a bigger visible presence from the gardaí and for a greater emphasis to be placed on community policing."The challenge is now for the Minister for Justice and the Government to manage Garda resources in such a way to allow communities to rebuild their confidence in policing."