A teenage boy has this afternoon been found guilty of killing a father-of-two stabbed in Gillingham.

The 17-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was convicted of the manslaughter of David Young - but cleared of murder.

The pair were said to have clashed with Mr Young, 28, during the early hours of New Year's Day.His co-accused, 18-year-old Stuart Porter, was acquitted of both charges at Maidstone Crown Court.

It ended with Mr Young, of Beatty Avenue, Gillingham, being stabbed in the left thigh.

Mr Young - father to daughters Aliyah and Latia - was taken to Medway Maritime Hospital, but died on Saturday, January 5.

He, his partner Kirsty Bryant, his brother Aaron, friend John-Paul Smith and another couple were walking home to Gillingham after a night out in Rochester.

Porter, of Buttermere Close, Gillingham, and the other teenager, also from Gillingham, were both acquitted of wounding John-Paul Smith with intent and an alternative of unlawful wounding.

A jury of nine men and three women reached their verdicts after two days of deliberations.

The 17-year-old closed his eyes and winced as the jury foreman returned a unanimous verdict to the manslaughter charge.

Porter was due to be released from the cells after he was acquitted of all charges.

Judge Jeremy Carey said he would pass the appropriate sentence tomorrow morning.

"It will result in custody, so the issue will be how long," he told jurors.

The judge added: "I very much hope you will leave this court with positive feelings, as well as, no doubt, a sense of dismay at much of what you have heard.

"Dismay because it could so easily have been avoided. Dismay because there is a theme which runs through the entire case, is there not? I am not going to mention it because it is unnecessary.

"Had it not been for that, this would not have happened. Yes, everybody celebrates New Year's Eve... but this is a situation which got wildly out of control.

"I am sorry you had to listen to such a familiar, depressing tale."

Prosecutor Simon Taylor said the teenager had one conviction for battery, for which he was given a six-month referral order. He received a reprimand for burglary and warnings for common assault and theft.

He will be sentenced tomorrow morning.