Manslaughter sentence 'is a joke'

Gerard Devlin was stabbed to death during a feud between two families

The family of west Belfast man Gerard Devlin have criticised the sentence given to the man convicted of his manslaughter.

Mr Devlin was stabbed to death during a street fight involving two feuding families in the Ballymurphy area.

Francisco Notarantonio, 21, of Whitecliff Parade, who admitted the charge, was jailed for 11 years at Belfast Crown Court on Tuesday.

Gerard Devlin's aunt, Bernadette O'Rawe, said his sentence was "a joke".

"We're absolutely devastated - it was a disgrace what was meted out today in the name of justice."

Four other members of the Notarantonio family pleaded guilty to affray and received sentences ranging from a one-year suspended term to two years' imprisonment.

'Inhumanity'

Mr Justice Stephens told of how Mr Devlin's partner and six children had to watch and try to comfort him as he died.

The judge said the stabbing led to 'ongoing lawless incidents'

Speaking directly to Francisco Antonio Notarantonio, he said: "They witnessed, as they comforted him as he died, your complete inhumanity, your destruction of their partner, their father, their family."

The judge said the offences warranted "severe punishment" to send a clear message to others involved in violence.

However, Mr Justice Stephens accepted that the stabbing was "spontaneous and impulsive" and was in the context of a long-standing feud.

He told all the defendants: "Your despicable crimes added to the conflagration with serious effects on the wider community and ongoing lawless incidents in the area."