A man has been jailed for eight years by Judge Michael White at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for the manslaughter of a Dublin man almost two years ago.
Gavin Ward (23), Balcurris Road, Ballymun, pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Christopher Doyle (28), who died on November 9th, 2004, eight days after he was stabbed.
Ward told gardaí he was "out of his head on cocaine and alcohol" when he stabbed Mr Doyle at about 4am on November 1st, 2004.
Judge White said he must take into account the fact that Ward got caught up in a dispute that did not "personally involve him", that he left his house armed with a knife and that he stabbed Mr Doyle from behind.
The court had been told that the stabbing arose from an incident in which a car belonging to a friend of Mr Doyle was stolen. A fight developed after one of the alleged car thieves was assaulted by the owner's boyfriend, who had discovered it "jacked-up" nearby. Mr Doyle helped to stop this fight but a second "retaliation" fight broke out and he was stabbed by Ward.