THE DAUGHTER of an 82-year-old Irishman who was fatally stabbed while sitting outside his home has branded his killer a coward.
Dublin-born Gerard Ring died three days after being stabbed multiple times by his neighbour Julian Donoher in Derbyshire, England last September.
Earlier this month, the 51-year-old pleaded guilty to manslaughter due to diminished responsibility and was sentenced to a hospital order at Derby Crown Court on Tuesday.
"The trauma of the last year has totally shattered my world," said Mr Ring's daughter, Sapphire.
Mr Ring was sitting outside his home in Whitecross Gardens, Derby at around 2.20pm on Saturday, September 6, 2025 when he was stabbed multiple times by Donoher.
The beloved grandfather was taken to hospital in a critical condition but died three days later.
Besides being neighbours, there was no link between the two men.
Donoher was charged with the murder of Mr Ring and remanded in custody but ultimately entered a plea of manslaughter due to diminished responsibility.
This was accepted by the court after multiple psychological assessments by both defence and prosecution showed he was not fit to stand trial and suffers from a schizoaffective disorder.
"Gerard Ring was clearly a much-loved father, grandfather and friend and I know how deeply his killing has affected his family," said Detective Inspector Chris Barker.
"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."
'I have lost my purpose in life'
Mr Ring was born and raised in Dublin but moved to England at the age of 16 to be a builder, working on large civil engineering projects such as the M1 extensions.
He had four children from his first marriage to Sandra, three biological children — Gerard, Tracey and Kelly — and one adoptive daughter, Denise.
The family moved to Derby following a stint in South Africa where Mr Ring had worked at a high level in a construction company.
He met his second wife, Marie, in Derby in 1974, with his children from his first marriage joined by Marie's three children from a previous relationship — Michelle, Guy and Lisa.
Sapphire, who was born in 1980, said Mr Ring 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," she added.
"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 his wife's death, Mr Ring 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 his killing had on her.
"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," she said in a victim impact statement.
"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', saying: "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."
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