A MAN has been sentenced to a minimum of 22 years for the "brutal and senseless" murder of a father of two during a horrific attack three years ago.
Brian Phelan called his girlfriend as he lay dying alone on a remote country road in Newry after being stabbed five times by Daniel Carroll.
Mr Carroll, of Edward Street in Portadown but originally from Newry, was sentenced on Friday at Newry Crown Court after being found guilty in September.
Speaking after the sentencing, Detective Superintendent Eamonn Corrigan said: "I know that today's sentencing will not bring Brian back, however I hope that it brings some sort of comfort to his family, knowing that Daniel Carroll is now serving time in prison for taking Brian's life."
Callous attack
Mr Phelan had met up with Carroll on a country road in Co. Armagh on July 26, 2018, believing they were going to buy quad bikes.
However, Carroll launched a horrific attack on Mr Phelan, stabbing him three times in the neck and twice in the chest.
Mr Phelan managed to flee half-a-mile down the road before trying to hide in a garden.
However, Carroll gave chase in the victim's car before callously rifling through the pockets of the dying man and then fleeing the scene.
The jury heard how the victim was able to call his girlfriend and emergency services, telling the latter "my mate Dan" had assaulted him.
Mr Phelan sadly died at the scene.
When initially questioned, Carroll denied being with Mr Phelan.
More than a year later he changed his story, claiming that he had been there and that Mr Phelan was assaulted by three men on quad bikes.
He continues to maintain his innocence, despite the wealth of evidence against him, including witness statements, forensic evidence and CCTV of the attack.
'No more memories'
"Daniel Carroll cruelly cut Brian Phelan's life short on July 26, 2018 when he stabbed him in the neck and then proceeded to chase him for a period of time," said DS Corrigan.
"Whilst Brian sat mortally wounded on the ground, Carroll callously proceeded to rifle through his pockets and steal money from him, before he left the scene.
"Whilst lying wounded, Brian had to phone police himself to ask for help.
"Unfortunately, his life could not be saved and he died at the scene at Carrivekeeney Road, Newry."
He added: "Daniel Carroll has robbed Brian's two young children of their father, his mother of her son, his sisters of their brother and his ex-partner of the father of her children.
"There will be no more memories made together; no more birthdays celebrated. They have all been left bereft.
"Unfortunately, Brian's father never lived to see his killer brought to justice.
"This is a family who has suffered unimaginable grief."
'Brutal and senseless'
Catherine Kierans, Senior Public Prosecutor for the Public Prosecution Service, welcomed the sentence, but added "no criminal justice outcome will bring [Brian] back".
"This was a brutal and senseless murder," she said.
"Daniel Carroll met Brian Phelan on a country road in Co. Armagh on July 26, 2018, apparently to buy quad bikes.
"But instead he attacked him with a knife, stabbing him and leaving him to bleed to death in a nearby garden.
"He refused to answer the police's questions for many months during the investigation, before giving a story about three men on quad bikes attacking Brian and then fleeing on an inaccessible mountain path — a story the jury ultimately did not believe.
"We worked closely with the PSNI to build a strong prosecution case by drawing together the various strands of evidence.
"This included witness statements, forensic evidence, mobile phone records and CCTV footage that showed Carroll pursuing and attacking Brian.
"It also included calls that Brian made to his girlfriend and the emergency services as he lay dying.
"When the jury had heard all the evidence, they found 30-year-old Carroll guilty of murder.
"Brian's murder has left his loved ones devastated and his two children without their father.
"Although we know that no criminal justice outcome will bring him back, we hope the conclusion of this case brings some comfort to them."
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