A man who stabbed his ex-girlfriend's lover to death with a steak knife has been jailed for seven years.

Outside the court the dead man's mother said no prison sentence would bring back her son but her family would try to get on with their lives, Jeffrey Healy was cleared of murder but found guilty of manslaughter by a jury at Lewes Crown Court.

Healy, 30, of South Terrace, Littlehampton, admitted stabbing Andre Nally outside his former partner's home in Dorset Close, Littlehampton, but said he did not realise he was holding the knife until afterwards.

He denied murder.

During the eight-day trial, the jury heard a fight had broken out over the care of Healy and ex-girlfriend Samantha Douglas's son Brandon.

After the case, Andre Nally's mother Denise, accompanied by her husband John, said: "At the end of the day they have still got their son but I have not got mine. We will try to get on with our lives and bring up his children without him."

Brother Gerard Nally said: "We have lost a close family member. We were not happy with the verdict."

Mr Nally, 33, of Old Manor Road, Rustington, who leaves two daughters aged 11 and eight, was killed by a single stab wound to the heart in October last year.

Neighbour Jeremy Jephson heard an argument and came out to give the victim heart massage.

Healy claimed he had not realised he was holding the knife until after the incident and then threw it into the River Arun before visiting his parents.

He had taken the knife from The Lamb pub in Rustington that afternoon.

Mr Justice Moses told him: "You took the life of another young man. He did not deserve to die. Nothing can bring back that young man's life to his family or Samantha Douglas.

"I accept this was not pre-meditated. Had it been, a jury would have found you guilty of murder.

"You accused that young man of being the aggressor.

"Rightly, the jury rejected that attempt to put the blame on him.

"You chose to carry a knife. You used it and took that young man's life."