Psychotic man killed elderly neighbour ‘after delusions he was a paedophile’
Julian Donoher bragged to police that he would “be a f---ing legend in jail” after stabbing his 82-year-old neighbour Gerard Ring in the face, chest and abdomen outside his home
A man suffering psychotic delusions who fatally stabbed his 82-year-old neighbour after believing he was a paedophile has been given an indefinite hospital order.
Listen to this article
Julian Donoher, 51, had not been taking his mental health medication for nine months when he stabbed Gerard Ring in the face, chest and abdomen outside his home in Derby on September 6th last year.
Donoher had a history of depression and bipolar disorder and also suffered psychotic symptoms. Derby Crown Court heard that he started saying “strange and bizarre things” after moving to Whitecross Gardens.
The elderly Mr Ring, a grandfather with a cancer diagnosis, lived independently and often sat outside his home, enjoying nature and “nodding off in his chair”.
Mark Heywood KC, prosecuting, said that the grandfather was recorded on CCTV arriving at his front door on a mobility scooter at 1 pm the day of the attack.
Read more: ‘Obsessed’ boy, 14, repeatedly stabbed schoolgirl because 'she rejected him for a date'
Heywood said: “Mr Ring then seated himself in the garden as he enjoyed doing, occasionally going indoors and returning, either to seat himself again or do some minor work in his garden.”
He went on to explain that at 2.15 pm, Donoher walked past Mr Ring’s home, as he had several times that day, and was recorded saying “words to the effect of ‘no problem’ before telling his dog to ‘come on’”.
Five minutes later, Donoher returned with his right hand in his pocket, before going up to Mr Ring and stabbing him while “gripping his head in the crook of his arm”, before walking away.
Following the attack, Donoher approached another neighbour, placed his hands on her shoulders and “said something about the paedophile business”, and told her that he “killed a paedophile”, and claimed Mr Ring had raped a teenage girl.
Mr Heywood told the court: “Unambiguously, there is no truth in any such suggestion. These were delusional comments.”
Mr Ring then returned to his home and locked the front door.
Mr Heywood said: “He used his own phone to dial 999 and said he had been stabbed by a man he did not know to the throat, side and wherever else he could stab him.”
“He was also able to call for help loudly enough for other neighbours to hear.”
Mr Ring was found by paramedics heavily bleeding on the floor of his hallway. They took him to Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham, where he died on the morning of Sept 9th.
The court heard that following his arrest, Donoher bragged that he would “be a f---ing legend in jail” to police.
Mr Ring’s daughter, Tracey Ring, who displayed a photograph of her father while she read a statement in court, described her “unbearable” pain.
She addressed Donoher directly, telling him that what he did to her elderly father was a “vile, savage, inhumane attack”.
The court heard that Donoher had schizoaffective disorder, was a cannabis user, and had used harder drugs since his early 20s.
The defendant appeared in court via video link, where he pleaded guilty to manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility.
He was given a hospital order with restrictions to ensure he received appropriate treatment and to protect the public.