An alcoholic who brutally stabbed his neighbour to death has been told he will spend at least the next 13 years in jail.
Belfast Crown Court judge Mr Justice Weir told 25-year-old Barry Cavan on Wednesday that while he had a dispute with his victim David Corr over the playing of loud music, that “cannot begin to explain, never mind justify this brutal, merciless, senseless killing”.
He emphasised to Cavan that even when he has served that minimum 13-year period, it will be up to the Parole Commissioners “if and when” he will be released and under what licence conditions.
The judge also told Cavan that the life sentence he was obliged to impose meant that he will forever be liable to be recalled to jail if he breaches any of his licence conditions.
Cavan, from the New Lodge area of north Belfast, had pleaded guilty to murdering 24-year-old talented skateboarder and well known busker David ‘Dee’ Corr almost exactly a year ago, on 15 March 2012.
He suffered a total of 17 stab wounds and 22 incised wounds in the frenzied attack and while it was a stab wound to the chest which caused his death, many of the injuries he suffered were to his arms and hands, “indicative of the deceased raising his hands to protect his head or by having grasped the knife”.
Cavan, who lived in the flat above his victim, called police himself and told the 999 operator he had killed his neighbour.
When officers rushed to the bloody scene, Cavan was lying face down prone on the hallway floor and confessed immediately.
“There’s nothing justifies it – I killed him. I went down with a knife with the intention of killing him. I didn’t think I would actually do it. I asked him to stop a few times,” he told police.
“He said he would stop but he didn’t and I just lost it.”
Shaven-headed Cavan, who appeared in the dock in a white T-shirt and blue jeans, appeared non-plussed at his fate.
Outside the court, Mr Corr’s mother Noreen would only comment that she was “just glad it’s all over and I can get on with my life as best I can”.
