by Keith Hunt

A teenager was wound up with jealousy and anger when he overreacted and knifed a man to death, a court heard.

Caleb White stabbed Tom Crittenden (pictured left) once in the chest with a large knife he took from a block in the kitchen of his Maidstone home, it was alleged.

The blade penetrated 10cm, piercing 21-year-old Mr Crittenden’s lung and heart, and he died soon afterwards.

Mr Saxby said White, then 19, and the victim did not know each other but had friends in common.

The main link was Julie Matthews, who was best friends with White’s girlfriend Danielle Brown.

Miss Matthews had been in a relationship with Mr Crittenden’s best friend Billy Swift, but by early September last year she considered the relationship to be over.

On the evening of September 24, White was uneasy about his "girl" Miss Brown, the mother of his child, being out in the town with Miss Matthews.

"Specifically, we say that by then the defendant had wound himself up - with feelings of jealousy and anger - so that he totally overreacted to the events which unfolded," said Mr Saxby.

Mr Crittenden called Mr Swift and told him Shane Price was taking Miss Matthews and Miss Brown back to White’s flat at Dublin House in Cornwall Close, Shepway.

Mr Swift asked his father Anthony to take him there in his works van. Mr Crittenden joined them. Mr Swift later admitted he was going there to give Mr Price a "slap".

When they arrived, White and Mr Price were outside and Miss Matthews and Miss Brown were in the doorway.

White ran back into the flats chased by Mr Crittenden. Miss Matthews told Mr Crittenden to stop and he did so.

White, who is 5ft 11in tall, went to his kitchen and grabbed the knife. He saw 6ft 3in tall Mr Crittenden walking towards him.

"He ran up to him and stabbed him in the chest," said the prosecutor. "He gave Tom Crittenden no warning. Tom Crittenden was posing no real threat to him or to anyone for that matter."

Mr Crittenden and Mr Swift went back to the van. The father drove them to his home, where Mr Crittenden collapsed and died.

White, now 20, denies murder. The trial continues.