The mother of a man stabbed to death at his home in Dublin almost five years ago has described the sentence imposed on her son's killer as a ''disgrace''.
Martin Toland of Walkinstown Park was convicted of manslaughter after he killed Alan Nolan and stabbed and seriously injured the victim's friend as he tried to diffuse the situation.
James Carroll, whose life was saved by the medical staff at St James's Hospital, said the fight for truth and justice has been as hard as the fight for life.
Mr Justice Barry White sentenced Toland to nine years in prison today, but suspended the final two-and-a-half years.
Gardaí had to intervene when a disturbance broke out in court following sentencing.
They removed the Nolan family after the defence counsel in the case was verbally abused and members of the killer’s family were given a garda escort from the courts complex.
Toland was convicted of murder in January 2010, but a retrial was ordered on appeal and he was then convicted of manslaughter.
Mr Justice White said the appropriate sentence for a fatal stabbing was 14 years, but fortunately for Martin Toland, his judicial colleagues do not share his concerns.
He said he was constrained by the Court of Criminal Appeal from imposing such a sentence.
He said fatal stabbings ought to attract lengthy sentences as elements in society resort to knives to resolve differences and have little or no respect for human life.
