Tensions high in court as man jailed for manslaughter
There were highly charged scenes at the Central Criminal Court today, where a Dublin man has been jailed for 6½ years for killing his friend and stabbing another man in the heart.
Martin Toland (aged 36) of Walkinstown Park was convicted by a jury of the manslaughter of 28-year-old Alan Nolan and of seriously injuring 30-year-old James Carroll at Cedar Brook Walk, Ballyfermot on September 8, 2007.
Toland gave no visible reaction to the sentence but for the victims families there followed an outpouring of grief and anger in court with shouts of 'You're a disgrace!' at the defence lawyer.
Toland was originally convicted of murder, but it was quashed on appeal and when retried a jury found him guilty of the lesser offence of manslaughter.
He stabbed his lifelong friend, 28-year-old Alan Nolan, five times and stabbed another man James Carroll, who survived a knife wound to the heart.
It followed a row at the dead man's Ballyfermot apartment where the three men had spent an evening drinking, playing cards and video games.
Mr Justice Barry White said that he believes the appropriate sentence for stabbings is 14 years, but he said his judicial colleagues do not share his concern.
He imposed a nine-year sentence with 2½ suspended.
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