The sentencing at the Central Criminal Court of two brothers who killed a man in Killarney two years ago has been adjourned until next Friday.
Shane O’Riordan (19) and his brother, Gerard O’Riordan (28), of Arbutus Grove, Killarney, Co Kerry were cleared last month of murdering James Brazier (30) — also known as ‘English Jim’ — in Killarney on April 15th, 2007, but were found guilty of his manslaughter.
Mr Brazier, a father of three, died from multiple stab wounds.
The court heard that the O’Riordan brothers had gone to the home of Shane O’Riordan’s former girlfriend.
D Gda Pat Lynch told the court that the brothers went to the girl’s bedroom. Mr Brazier was asleep in the bed beside the girl.
Gerard punched Mr Brazier in the head while Shane stabbed him twelve times in the back, the court heard. Gerard then pulled Mr Brazier from the bed, beat him around the head with a tubular steel chair and kicked him.
The mother of the house then came into the room. The brothers left and told her to get an ambulance, the court heard.
The girl in bed with Mr Brazier had split up with Shane O’Riordan during the course of the previous week.
She was seen in the company of Mr Brazier in various pubs on April 14th, drinking with him.
The court heard that this information made its way to the O’Riordan brothers.
At 2am on April 15th, Shane attempted to call the girl. The call was not taken, the court heard.
Both men then walked to the girl’s house.
After the killing, they went to Cork, then Monaghan. On April 19th, they presented themselves at Killarney Garda station.
Gerard O’Riordan told the gardai that his brother “freaked out” when he saw the girl in the bed with Mr Brazier.
He said that after they left the house he was in a “total state of shock” and that Shane was “rattling and shaking". Shane O’Riordan told gardai that he “panicked” when he saw Mr Brazier in bed with the girl.
He said he found a knife on the bedside locker and stabbed Mr Brazier in the back.
“I didn’t set out to kill him,” he said.
Shane O’Riordan has 11 previous convictions, including one for assault.
The court was told that he was sentenced to four years for an assault in December 2006.
The injured party on that occasion was in Killarney on a Christmas party. He got lost, walked down a side-street and came upon Shane O’Riordan.
Shane O’Riordan knocked the man to the ground, kicked him about the head and left him there. The man suffered brain injuries and was hospitalised for almost two months.
Gerard O’Riordan has 35 previous convictions, including assault causing harm.
In March 2003, he assaulted a man in a carpark in Farranfore, Co Kerry. The man was taken to hospital with head injuries and O’Riordan received a three year sentence.
Michael Durack SC read a victim impact statement on behalf of the deceased’s mother.
She wrote: “I can’t tell you how it feels. It’s like I’m doing a jail sentence since my son’s life was taken. I miss his kisses, his smiles... He was my spirit. My family has lost a best son and brother.
“His three children will grow up without a dad. I see the pain in their eyes.
“Every morning, I think of Jimmy and late at night. It’s the worst nightmare. Wake me up and tell me it’s a bad dream.
“It breaks my heart to see such violence in our society.”
A letter written by the brothers was also read to the court.
It said: “When I think of James Brazier’s mother, I can’t help thinking of my own mother. Knowing we put some other person’s mother through that eats away at a person.
“Nothing we could ever say or do to ease the pain the Brazier family is going through.
“If we could change what happened, we would in a heartbeat.
“We’ve both got blood on our hands and we’ll never be able wash it away.”