A man has been sentenced for stabbing a Grandfather in Derbyshire
Gerard Ring was sitting outside his home in Whitecross Gardens, in September 2025 when he was stabbed multiple times by neighbour Julian Donoher.
A man who stabbed a grandfather to death has been sentenced.
Gerard Ring was sitting outside his home in Whitecross Gardens, off Kedleston Road, at around 2.20pm on Saturday 6 September 2025 when he was stabbed multiple times by neighbour Julian Donoher.
The 82-year-old was taken to hospital in a critical condition but died three days later.
Julian Donoher was charged with the murder of Mr Ring with the 51-year-old, also of Whitecross Gardens, remanded in custody.
There was no link between the two men.
Earlier this month Donoher appeared at Derby Crown Court where he entered a plea of manslaughter due to diminished responsibility which was accepted by the court after multiple psychological assessments by both defence and prosecution showed he was not fit to stand trial and that he suffers from a schizoaffective disorder.
Today (22 Sep) Donoher appeared at the same court where he was sentenced to a hospital order.
Gerard’s daughter Sapphire paid tribute to her father who was born and raised for the first 16 years of his life in Dublin, before moving to England to be a builder – working on large civil engineering projects such as the M1 extensions.
Gerard had four children from his first marriage to Sandra – three biological children - Gerard, Tracey, Kelly and one adoptive daughter Denise, and moved to Derby following a stint abroad in South Africa where he had worked at a high level in a construction company.
He met his second wife Marie in Derby in 1974, with the pair honeymooning in London, and Gerard proudly told friends and family that she was the love of his life.
Gerard’s children from his first marriage were joined by Marie’s three children from a previous relationship – Michelle, Guy and Lisa – before Sapphire was born in 1980, and ten years later the family moved to a home in Quarndon.
Sapphire said: “Dad was a devoted and supportive father and would do anything for his family.
“He was also an avid crossword fan, loved reading, had a wicked sense of humour and also loved music, in particular from his home country of Ireland, as well as dancing.
“Mum and dad moved to Whitecross Gardens in 2020 where dad’s love of gardening made him well known with neighbours who would stop and speak to him as he tended his flowers and vegetables.”
Following Marie’s death, Gerard continued living at Whitecross Gardens and continued his love of travel.
A cancer diagnosis did nothing to dim his passion for life and his charm and charisma shone through even as his health declined.
Sapphire, who had been her father’s carer in recent years, also explained the devastating impact that Gerard’s death had on her.
In a victim impact statement Sapphire explained the impact her father’s death had on her, she said: “The trauma of the last year has totally shattered my world.
“Since his death I feel devastated, lost and I am unsettled and struggling on a daily basis, I feel like I have lost my purpose in life, and I often feel overwhelmed by it.
“I miss that I cannot call, although I talk to him every day, but this is not the same, and I will never be able to take him for a scone and a cup of tea at the museum.”
Turning to Donoher she described him as a “coward”, she said: “He comes across like he doesn’t care. I find him a coward. He attacked my dad who was 82 years old and sat in a chair.
“He didn’t attack a big healthy man but instead attacked an elderly man. This is cowardly.”
Detective Inspector Chris Barker, from the Major Crime Unit of the East Midlands Special Operations Unit, said: “Gerard Ring was clearly a much loved, father, grandfather, and friend, and I know how deeply his killing has affected his family.
“While in the later years of his life, he still possessed a love and zest for life and he and his family were looking forward to making many more memories together.
“That future has been ripped apart due to the actions of Julian Donoher.
“This has been a protracted investigation and court process, and I thank the family for their continued support during what I know has been a deeply traumatic experience.”