Thursday 29 October 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 12271Assault · Co. Dublin · 29 Jan 2022

Former soldier sentenced for stabbing friend nine times in Cabra home

Frank Kelly (40) was sentenced to two years and three months in prison for stabbing his childhood best friend, Darren Sherlock, nine times at Kelly's home in Cabra, Dublin, in January 2022. He had pleaded guilty to assault contrary to section 3 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In courtnot reported
  5. Verdictnot reported
  6. Sentenced29 Oct
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
19 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatFrank Kelly was sentenced to two years and three months in prison for stabbing his childhood best friend nine times. (thejournal.ie)
  • whatSherlock escaped the house before collapsing. (thejournal.ie)
  • whatKelly inflicted nine relatively superficial stab wounds on Sherlock. (thejournal.ie)
  • whereThe attack took place in the house Kelly lived in, in Cabra, Dublin. (thejournal.ie)
  • whenThe attack happened on 29 January 2022. (thejournal.ie)
  • causeBoth men were under the influence on the day of the stabbing. (thejournal.ie)
  • causeWhat started as a fight escalated when Kelly struck Sherlock with a bottle. (thejournal.ie)
  • weaponKelly struck Sherlock with a bottle. (thejournal.ie)
  • weaponKelly then procured a knife and stabbed Sherlock nine times. (thejournal.ie)
  • chargeKelly pleaded guilty to assault contrary to section 3 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act. (thejournal.ie)
  • courtJudge Martin Nolan reviewed mobile phone video footage of the attack. (thejournal.ie)
  • courtKelly had nine previous convictions, none for violent incidents. (thejournal.ie)
  • courtKelly had no other incidents while on bail. (thejournal.ie)
  • sentenceThe judge said the sentence could not be non-custodial due to the seriousness of the assault. (thejournal.ie)
  • sentenceThe judge noted that Kelly had expressed remorse and cooperated with gardaí. (thejournal.ie)
  • otherSherlock eventually made a full recovery. (thejournal.ie)
  • otherKelly initially claimed he had acted in self-defence. (thejournal.ie)
  • otherA psychological report stated that Kelly had dealt with anger issues. (thejournal.ie)
  • otherKelly had served nine years in the Defence Forces, including abroad in Liberia. (thejournal.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 29 Oct2025
    Sentencedthejournal.ie, first report
    Former soldier jailed for stabbing his childhood best friend nine times in Dublin home

    Reports the sentencing of Frank Kelly, adds the guilty plea, the court's account of the fight and video footage, his previous convictions, mitigation and the judge's remarks.

    convicted, Frank Kelly, 40, male, Irish, named, irishFrank Kellyvictim, Darren Sherlock, male, irish (judged from name)Darren Sherlock