A 20-year-old gang member who repeatedly knifed another man has been convicted of attempted murder.

It took the jury in the case nearly 11 hours to reach their final verdicts this morning.

They convicted Jim Chambers, Whitstable, by majority verdict. The day before he had also been found guilty of violent disorder.

On Tuesday Alfie Rossiter, 19, was convicted of wounding with intent but cleared of attempted murder.

Both he and another accused, Oliver Stratton, 21, were also found guilty of violent disorder.

Nineteen-year-old Tyrone Court, 19, was discharged after being acquitted of violent disorder.

Remanding Chambers, Rossiter and Stratton in custody for reports which will assess their dangerousness, Judge James O'Mahony said it was very serious criminal behaviour.

He told Canterbury Crown Court: "This has every feature of gang violence of the worst kind, the sort of thing that decent people detest.

"And it brings us all into disrepute in the streets of our towns and cities.

"Someone feels they have been the subject of disrespect, there has been an argument, even a physical argument as here.

"The next thing lethal weapons are out and off you go in a car to attack others.

"And particularly where knives are concerned, in a split second a life, a young life can be lost.

"You must all of you expect to go into custody for a long, long time," said Judge O'Mahony.

The charges arose from incidents in Whitstable on May 4 last year which culminated in James Middleton, 20, being repeatedly stabbed by Chambers.

Not long before the stabbing, Chambers scuffled with Mr Middleton in the foyer of flats at West Cliff.

Mr Middleton had gone there after a young woman claimed Chambers touched her breasts and put his hand down her trousers.

He was cleared of sexual assault.

Mr Middleton left the West Cliff flats chased by Chambers, bare chested and brandishing a knife, and went to his grandmother's home at Belmont Road.

The young woman, her friend and Mr Middleton's girlfriend arrived in a car and moments later another car drew up carrying Chambers and others.

The gang barged into number 35 and attacked Mr Middleton, Chambers with a knife and Rossiter with a baseball bat.

The Crown alleged driver of the car was Lee Dryburgh, 25, of St Mary's Grove, who also allegedly attacked Mr Middleton with a knife.

But Dryburgh, the only defendant to give evidence during the six week trial, denied any involvement in the incident.

On Tuesday, he was cleared of attempted murder, two alternative wounding charges and violent disorder.

His acquittal bought applause from the public gallery as he left the dock where friends and family of the defendants had been sitting.

They were quickly told to quieten down by Judge O'Mahony who reminded them they were in court.

"I fully understand your reaction, but be quiet this is a court."

Chambers, 20, of Walmer Road; Rossiter, 19, of St Andrew Close; Stratton, 21, of West Cliff and Court, 19, of St Patricks Close, will be sentenced at a later date.