Joseph Joyce has been told he will spend a minimum of ten years in jail for the murder of 18-year old John Paul McDonagh.
Mr McDonagh died two days after sustaining a fatal wound to his lower left leg during a 'street battle' which erupted in Co Fermanagh.
As he imposed a minimum tariff of ten years for the murder today, Mr Justice Rooney said that whilst he accepted Joyce did not intent to kill Mr McDonagh, he spoke of the loss to the deceased's family due to his "traumatic and unnecessary death."
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Joyce was convicted by a jury in June of murdering 18-year old John Paul McDonagh, who sustained a fatal leg wound during the 'street battle' in Enniskillen in April 2020.
During the trial at Belfast Crown Court, the jury of eight men and four women were shown footage of the fatal incident, which occurred outside Joyce's Coolcullen Meadows home.
Prior to the street violence which erupted on April 11, 2020 Joyce and Mr McDonagh, who lived at nearby Drumawell Gardens - became involved in a verbal dispute at the rear of their properties.
Just minutes after the row, Mr McDonagh and two other men - armed with a knife, hoe and glass bottle - left Mr McDonagh's home and walked the short distance to Coolcullen Meadows.
In the footage Joyce can be seen brandishing a slash-hook in one hand and a plastic bottle filled with ammonia in the other.
The CCTV captured the three men advancing on Joyce, and at one stage the hoe is swung at Joyce's head area. Also caught on camera was the fatal blow administering by Joyce to the back of Mr McDonagh's leg.
Despite receiving medical treatment both at the scene and in the South West Acute Hospital, Mr McDonagh passed away on the morning of April 13, 2020 having suffered a heart attack and multiple organ failure.
Joyce, now with an address at Clon Elagh in Derry, initially absconded from the scene, but following his arrest he told police he was acting in self-defence and was protecting his pregnant wife, his home and his children from an imminent attack.
He has since expressed remorse and said he was "deeply sorry" for causing Mr McDonagh's death.
As he sentenced Joyce, Mr Justice Rooney spoke of the impact the murder has had on the deceased's mother who witnessed the fatal attack on her son.
The judge said: "It is abundantly clear by Rose McDonagh's statement that John Paul was deeply loved by her, her immediate family and by others.
"It's important that the court and the defendant realises and understands the extend of the damage that has been caused to Rose McDonagh and her family due to John Paul's traumatic and unnecessary death.
"I recognise that the loss of John Paul McDonagh's life can't be measured by the length of a prison sentence. There is no term of imprisonment that I can impose that will reconcile his mother, his family and his friends to the loss, nor will it cure their pain."
Joyce was sentenced for murdering John Paul McDonagh, wounding the deceased's brother Gerard McDonagh, possessing two offensive weapons - namely the slash hook and bottle of ammonia - and a charge of causing an affray.
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