Sister stabbed 16-year-old brother through the heart at Hogmanay party

Siblings: Claire Connelly admitted stabbing her brother Ronnie.

A sister stabbed her 16-year-old brother through the heart during a row at a party on Hogmanay.

Ronnie Connelly had to undergo open heart surgery when his sister stabbed him after he tried to stop her going to see their mother.

At the High Court in Glasgow, Claire Connelly, 19, of Esk Drive, Paisley, admitted stabbing her brother to his severe injury, permanent disfigurement and to the danger of his life.

The offence was committed in her home at Esk Drive, Paisley, on December 31, 2011.

The court heard that the blow punctured the sac surrounding Mr Connelly's heart.

Connelly and her brother had a troubled childhood and she had a difficult relationship with her mother.

Advocate depute Andrew Brown QC, prosecuting, told the court that Connelly has only one previous conviction for vandalism for which she received a £125 fine.

He said: "The plan of Miss Connelly, her partner Stephen Devlin and her brother was to see the New Year in together.

"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 both her brother and her partner attempted to calm her down and she seemed to be acting strangely.

Around 10.50pm the accused and her brother were in the kitchen and began rolling about on the ground fighting.

Mr Devlin, who had been in the living room, came in and separated them and noticed that Mr Connelly 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."

Her brother was taken to the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley where it was discovered that the sac round his heart had been punctured and was filling with blood.

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 that Mr Connelly appears to have made a full recovery and added: "He was cutting his gran's grass yesterday."

Judge Lord Pentland deferred sentence on Connelly, who is in custody, until August 3 at the High Court in Edinburgh for background reports.

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