Friends and relatives erupted in fury when a jury cleared a man of murdering Brighton man Daniel Collard in a street attack.

There were shouted threats from the public gallery as Derry Davis was sentenced to eight years jail for manslaughter.

Davis killed popular bank worker Mr Collard in a violent skirmish after his car was vandalised in Southdown Avenue, Brighton, on the night of March 22.

Mr Collard, 20, of Lower Bevendean Avenue, Brighton, was stabbed in the heart with a kitchen knife.

His heartbroken mother Ann, who sat through each day of the trial which lasted nearly three weeks, has described her son as caring, courteous and gentlemanly.

She had to arrange a double funeral for her son and her mother, Sarah Parker, who collapsed and died days after hearing the tragic news of her grandson's killing.

Davis, 21, an unemployed decorator, of Hillside, Moulsecoomb, Brighton, was acquitted of a charge of murder.

The jury at Lewes Crown Court, convicted him of manslaughter by an 11-to-one majority after considering their verdict for eight-and-a-half hours.

Davis was also convicted of attempting to cause Thomas Wright grievous bodily harm and sentenced to three years jail to run concurrently.

During the trial the jury heard how Mr Collard, a former student at Cardinal Newman School and City College Brighton and Hove, was among a group of friends who were vandalising cars as they walked along Southdown Avenue after a night out at the pub.

One of the cars, an expensive Audi convertible, belonged to Davis.

He was visiting a friend, Lee Smith, 32, of Springfield Road, that night.

Mr Smith was also charged with Mr Collard's murder. He denied the charge and on the sixth day of the trial the judge ruled there was insufficient evidence against him and formally directed the jury to find him not guilty.

Judge Mr Justice Wright told Davis: "You went out with the intention of teaching the culprits a lesson."