Northern Ireland

Man who admitted stabbing his best friend to death will be sentenced next month

Stabbing victim James Hughes was killed in November 2016
Stabbing victim James Hughes was killed in November 2016 Stabbing victim James Hughes was killed in November 2016

A VIOLENT paranoid schizophrenic, who admitted to stabbing his best friend to death while high on strong wine and medication, will be sentenced next month.

Belfast Crown Court heard today that a "remorseful" James Brendan Patrick Devine was mentally ill with "dillusional beliefs" about his friend and next door neighbour James Hughes when he broke into his flat and stabbed him more than 30 times.



Devine (44), from Belfast's Divis Tower, has previous convictions for alcohol-fuelled violence, including stabbings, the court was told.

He had been charged with murdering Mr Hughes but the charge was withdrawn when he pleaded guilty in June to manslaughter by way of diminished reponsibility.



Prosecuting QC David McDowell revealed that Devine was arrested on November 6, 2016, as he left his sister's home in Ballymoney, Co Antrim.

His sister rang police after he confessed to killing his friend and said he "wanted to hand himself in".



Defence QC Greg Berry said Devine's continuing mental illness was at the "very core of this terrible and dreadful crime".

The lawyer said although Devine had been remanded into prison, he had to be moved to a secure facility at Knockbracken Health Care Centre where he remains today.

Mr Justice Colton has adjourned sentencing until next month.

The court was told that Devine had travelled to his sister's home after initially phoning his mother to tell her he had "blood all over his coat" and had "stabbed a boy to death".

While having dinner, he told his sister "he'd stabbed Seamus..'I stabbed him and I stabbed him' ... that Seamus was begging for his life, but that he couldn't stop".

Devine gave his sister "a wad of cash", telling her to split it between the family because "where he was going he wouldn't need it". He later asked her to ring police.

When initially arrested he told police "I killed a man".

However, he became violent and lashed out at officers.

Later, while his hands were being swabbed for evidence in Belfast's Musgrave Street police station, he told the officer to "do a good job on this one ...it's the one I stabbed him with".

James Brendan Patrick Devine will be sentenced next month for stabbing his best friend to death 
James Brendan Patrick Devine will be sentenced next month for stabbing his best friend to death  James Brendan Patrick Devine will be sentenced next month for stabbing his best friend to death 

During police interviews, officers were given a prepared statement in which Devine said he suffered from paranoid schizophrenia and claimed he could not remember stabbing his friend or admitting the crime to his mother, sister, or police.

He said his memory of that weekend was "not great" because he had taken his medication with strong Buckfast wine.

Mr McDowell said Devine had described Mr Hughes as "one of his best friends...a gentleman" who had cooked and looked after him.

Earlier, the prosecution lawyer said police who had gone to Mr Hughes's flat found a trail of blood leading from the front door to the kitchen.

Mr Hughes, described by others as "an intellegent kind, generous and thoughful man", was found seated with a pool of blood at his feet.

Two knives, each with blades six or seven inches long, were discovered on the kitchen floor.

The court heard Mr Hughes was stabbed a total of 33 times in the neck, chest, abdomen, back, lungs and liver. 

A post mortem indicated he had attempted to defend himself.