A 21-year-old mother of two convicted of the manslaughter of another young mother in Laytown, Co Meath, last year has apologised to her victim's family.
Kelly Noble will be sentenced next week for killing 19-year-old Emma McLoughlin on 2 June 2006.
The Central Criminal Court heard that the McLoughlin family are traumatised by the killing. Her parents and siblings all gave statements to the court.
Lawyers for Kelly Noble outlined the details of her 'horrendous' background to the court.
Her parents were both drug addicts, and as a child she witnessed her father's violence to her mother, including acts of sexual violence of a very aggravated nature.
Her father regularly beat her. He also her to sell fake drugs to support his addiction and she developed her own drug habit from around the age of 9 or 10.
Her mother, Jacqui, is currently serving a life sentence for the murder of her father seven years ago.
Kelly Noble had no previous convictions before the night of 2 June 2006.
After being attacked by Emma McLoughlin in Pat's supermarket in Laytown, she asked a friend to bring her a knife.
There was another confrontation outside, and Kelly Noble stabbed Emma McLoughlin once in the chest.
This afternoon through her barrister, Michael O'Higgins, she apologised to the McLaughlin family.
The court heard the McLoughlins were traumatised by Emma's killing. Emma's mother, Margaret, suffered a serious illness and could no longer look after Emma's children aged 3 and 2. They are now in foster care.
Letters from Emma's parents, her sisters and her brother were read out to the court. Her father, Thomas, said that losing his daughter so tragically had left a huge hole in his heart.
Her mother and her sister Shona described 2 June 2006 as the worst day of their lives.
Her brother Gareth said the way his little sister left this life was the wrong way for the wrong reasons.
Mr Justice Barry White said he wanted some guidance on the sentences given to the very few women previously convicted of manslaughter. He said he would sentence Kelly Noble on Thursday week.
