Man Who Murdered Brother Sentenced

A man who murdered his brother following a drunken argument has been sentenced to four and a half years by a Dublin Court.

Derek McGrath, 37, of Fortlawn Park, Mountview, Blanchardstown, pleaded guilty in July to killing 23-year-old Anthony at the deceased's home in October 2006.

Handing out the sentence, Mr Justice Paul Carney, refused to take into account in mitigation that McGrath had been drinking for two days and had taken cocaine and valium, saying it was the fourth case of fratricide he had dealt with in a short space of time.

Derek and Anthony McGrath started rowing in Anthony's kitchen after attending a family christening.

The dead man had been rowing with Joe Larkin over his ex-girlfriend and Derek had tried to intervene.

The argument then escalated after Anthony brandished a hatchet he'd retrieved from his work van.

Derek McGrath then grabbed two knives, and during a struggle outside, he stabbed his 23-year-old brother in the neck.

When Gardai arrived, he was crouched down over his brother, sobbing and shouting: "God, let him live."

In her victim impact statement, their mother acknowledged that Derek needed to be punished, but she didn't want to lose another son to a long sentence.

Mr Justice Paul Carney this morning took that in account, and jailed him for the four-and-a-half year term.

(DW)