A JEALOUS thug who armed himself with two large knives and repeatedly stabbed a love rival has been jailed for 17 years after being convicted of murder.

Jamie Potter claimed he had the knives to sell and only lashed out in self-defence when Jimmy Brooker burst into a flat in Maidstone and attacked him.

But a judge told 34-year-old Potter, of Felderland Close, Park Wood, Maidstone, he had been convicted on clear evidence of the wilful murder of the father-of-six.

Potter, he said, had the weapons in case he encountered the victim and was prepared to use them if the occasion arose.

Maidstone Crown Court heard that Potter was angry that Mr Brooker, 39, had been violent to his former girlfriend, Michelle Berwick, and was sending her threatening texts.

Potter had lived with Miss Berwick, 29, before they parted in March last year. They later started seeing each other as friends but had sex shortly before the attack.

Mr Brooker, of Mote Road, had admitted assaulting Miss Berwick and was banned from going to her home at Washington House in Wallis Avenue, Park Wood.

Despite that, said the prosecution, Miss Berwick stayed in contact with him, because she loved him.

Potter and Miss Berwick were together during the weekend before the stabbing on September 4.

Mr Brooker sent Miss Berwick abusive texts and she replied, telling him she and Potter were having a "dirty weekend".

"They were clearly winding each other up," said prosecutor Anthony Haycroft.

Potter became annoyed with Miss Berwick for reading out the texts and writing them down.

They later went to her flat to pick up her mail. Soon after they arrived, Mr Brooker forced his way in and punched Potter.

Potter picked up one of the knives and immediately stabbed the victim. Miss Berwick was to describe blood pouring out "like a fountain".

In the frenzied attack, Potter went on to inflict 15 wounds on Mr Brooker. He was alive when paramedics arrived, but died in Maidstone Hospital.

After the hearing, Det Insp Kris Hill, of Mid Kent Police, said: “We are very pleased with the outcome and feel it adequately reflects the severity of the offence that Potter committed.

"We hope it will help Mr Brooker’s family to move on from what has been a very difficult time for them.

“We also want to emphasise that this incident was isolated. It involved people who were known to one another and a complicated set of personal circumstances.

“Jimmy Brooker’s family have asked me to express satisfaction and relief following the verdict in this case.

"They deeply miss Jimmy and no matter what the result or sentence was it will not bring Jimmy back to them.”