Teen girl stabbed brother through heart

Jun 20 2012 By Wilma Riley

A TEENAGE girl who left her 16-year-old brother fighting for life after stabbing him through the heart at a New Year’s Eve party was last night behind bars.
Young victim Ronnie Connelly had to undergo open heart surgery after being knifed by his 19-year-old sister Claire during a drunken row at her home in Esk Drive, Foxbar, Paisley, on Hogmanay last year.
Yesterday, the High Court in Glasgow heard that Connelly lashed out at her brother when he tried to stop her going to see their mum.
The blow punctured the sac surrounding Ronnie’s heart and he was rushed to the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley for an emergency operation.
The court heard that Connelly and her brother had a troubled childhood and she had a difficult relationship with her mother.
She had been enjoying a party with Ronnie and her partner Stephen Devlin and the plan was for them to see the New Year in together.
However, advocate depute Andrew Brown QC, prosecuting, told the court how the fun occasion turned violent just an hour or so before the Bells were due to herald the arrival of 2012.
He added: “By 10pm, the accused was very drunk and said she wanted to visit her mother. Her partner and brother feared that an argument might ensue because she and her mother had had a troubled relationship.
“An argument then ensued between her and her brother because she wanted to leave.”
The court heard that, at around 10.50pm, Connelly and her brother began fighting in the kitchen, where they ended up rolling about on the ground.
When Mr Devlin, who had been in the living room, came in and separated them, he noticed that Ronnie had blood on his shirt and an injury to his chest.
The emergency services were called and, as they waited for an ambulance to arrive, Connelly phoned the police on her mobile and said: “Hello, I’ve just stabbed my wee brother in the heart.”
When interviewed by police, Connelly was crying and visibly upset and said she hoped Ronnie would be okay.
Mr Brown told the court: “Mr Connelly required open heart surgery, which the consultant surgeon who operated said would have been life- threatening without medical intervention.”
Defence counsel Dale Hughes said the victim appears to have since made a full recovery.
Connelly admitted stabbing her brother to his severe injury, permanent disfigurement and to the danger of his life.
It was stated that the accused has only one previous conviction – for vandalism – for which she received a £125 fine.
Judge Lord Pentland called for background reports and deferred sentence on Connelly, who is in custody, until August 3 at the High Court in Edinburgh.