Courts / Kilkenny / Report
Pensioner who fatally stabbed mentally ill son gets 18 months
Summary
In a case described as "desperately sad," a 70‑year‑old man, Zbigniew Bednarczyk, was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment for the manslaughter of his 37‑year‑old son, Rafal Bednarczyk Jacyna. The son, who had bipolar disorder and was under medical supervision, died after Bednarczyk severed the femoral artery in his leg during an altercation that began when the son returned home under the influence of alcohol and drugs. The court noted that the knife was being used for food preparation and that the severing of the artery was unexpected. Bednarczyk entered a plea to manslaughter in October 2024, and the judge imposed a two‑year sentence with the final six months suspended, subject to 12 months of probation. The sentence was reduced from an initial three‑year recommendation after considering the plea and the defendant's low risk to the community.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Pensioner who fatally stabbed mentally ill son gets 18 months. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- February 27, 2023 Hearing Or Sentence
- October 2024 Hearing Or Sentence
- January 1, 2024 Hearing Or Sentence
- 2025-02-26 Publication
Case subjects
Convicted Person
Outcome: A 70-year-old man who fatally stabbed his mentally ill son in the leg in a "desperately sad" case of manslaughter has been jailed for 18 months. "I am satisfied that they both paid a very high price for an interaction that lasted a very short period of time," said Ms Justice Mary Ellen Ring, imposing a two-year sentence with the final six months suspended on Zbigniew Bednarczyk (70). She suspended the final six months on condition that the defendant remain under probation supervision for 12 months from the date of his release.
Places mentioned
Topics
Drugs Stage Sentence Violent Crime
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