Seven Years For 'Best Friend' Killing

A foreign national, who pretended that his best friend had committed suicide, when he had in fact fatally stabbed him, has been sentenced.

Brazilian Jose Claudio Domingos, 44, of Old Limerick Road, Charleville, who fatally stabbed his best friend and fellow national in Co Cork in September of last year, has been jailed for seven years.

The court heard that Domingos initially told Gardai that the victim, 47-year-old Alberto Do Prade Oliveira had committed suicide - which was not accepted as being the truth.

Domingos, the dead man and two brothers had been drinking in a flat on the night in question.

At first they started joking and bottom pinching, but Domingos took offence and he 'went for' his friend three times and was shoved to the floor.

On the third occasion, he picked up a knife from the kitchen table and stabbed him.

Mr Justice Paul Carney, in handing down sentence, described as "appalling" the way in which he told Gardai the dead man had committed suicide when he had in fact killed his best friend and still does not accept responsibility.

(BMcC)