Karol Kelly: Man jailed for his part in attack on father-of-five

Two men were convicted of murdering Karol Kelly in June

A man has been jailed for five years for his role in an attack that resulted in the death of a Londonderry father-of-five.

Karol Kelly died in March 2018 after being stabbed several times.

During a trial earlier this year, Michael Dunlop, 22, of Fern Park, Derry was found not guilty of murdering Mr Kelly but guilty of attempting to inflict grievous bodily harm.

Dunlop will spend half of his sentence in custody and half on licence.

Judge Philip Babington told a sentencing hearing at Londonderry Crown Court, sitting in Coleraine, on Thursday it had been "a very tragic case".

Mr Kelly died in Grafton Street in Derry in the early hours of 4 March 2018 after an altercation during which he was stabbed several times.

Karol Kelly died in Grafton Street in Derry

Brothers Sean Anderson (24) and Gary Anderson (25), both of Grafton Street in Derry, were found guilty of murder by a jury and subsequently sentenced to life in prison.

At Thursday's hearing, a barrister for Dunlop, who was 17 at the time, said his client had shown "appropriate remorse and regret" for his part in the death of Mr Kelly.

'A loving family bereft'

He said his client had gone to Grafton Street "for a few drinks" on the night Mr Kelly died and added "little did he realise the consequences of a trip to that location".

The barrister said Dunlop had "withdrawn" from the situation when he realised what was happening.

Reacting to Dunlop's sentencing on Thursday, Det Insp Michelle Griffin said: "This was a brutal attack, which left a loving family bereft and an entire community in shock. Today's result is one piece of a bigger picture.

"My thoughts remain with Mr Kelly's family, who remain heartbroken and have had to recall the distressing detail of that day."

The hearing also heard from legal representatives for each of the Anderson brothers.

Judge Babington said he would set a tariff to determine how long they would both serve in February 2023.