Seven-year term for knife killing

Matthew Jones died in hospital from a single stab wound

A man has been cleared of murder but convicted of manslaughter after a stabbing in St Leonards, East Sussex.

Ricky Smith, 21, of Milward Road, Hastings, was jailed for seven years on Thursday. He had denied murder.

Jurors heard how Smith killed Matthew Jones, 25, a Gatwick Airport cleaner, after the drunken victim accused him of making a pass at his partner.

Jailing him at Lewes Crown Court, the judge warned against the dangers of people arming themselves with knives.

There will always be an empty chair at our family dinners Matthew Jones' family

Mr Jones, a father of three, was stabbed with a 5in (12.7cm) knife, outside his mother's home in Churchill Avenue in September 2005.

The court heard that Smith threatened to stab Mr Jones before carrying out the attack.

Mr Jones died at the Conquest Hospital in Hastings from a single wound.

In a statement his family said: "There will always be an empty chair at our family dinners.

"To us he was our beautiful boy with such a lovely smile. He was kind, gentle, thoughtful and always liked things done properly."

His family said too many people are dying because too many people carry knives.

"We urge people who have knives to hand them in before other parents have to go through what we are going through."