A court descended into chaos after a man convicted of murdering his girlfriend launched a tirade of vile abuse after the verdict was delivered.

Tom Allen was today found guilty of killing Sam Murphy, 37, by stabbing her in the leg with a kitchen knife at their neighbour's home in Elfrida Close, Margate.

The killer was due to be sentenced shortly afterwards at Maidstone Crown Court, but after the outburst from the dock, Judge Philip Statman revealed it had been pushed back to tomorrow.

The attacker - who now faces life in prison - had previously claimed during the trial that he had no intention of hurting the mum-of-three when the violence erupted last July.

This came after defence lawyer Robert Woodcock KC admitted during the trial: "Allen is responsible for her death.

"He is the sole guilty party of the consequences.

"The defendant is guilty of the offence of manslaughter... but he is not guilty to murder."

He added that Allen's behaviour in arming himself with a kitchen knife had been a "totally irrational, and dangerous thing to have done".

Allen - who has a criminal past containing more than 100 offences - had gone to a neighbour's house, kicked in the front door while in "a wild and frenzied state of mind".

After kicking in the panels on the door he then wielded the blade and stabbed his partner in the leg, severing an artery.

The assailant fled in a car, while his partner bled to death in the early hours of the morning.

The prosecution revealed how Allen became jealous after a night of drinking and cocaine-taking between some neighbours.

He and a neighbour, Kaine Blissett, became involved in a scuffle in the street after Allen "repeatedly punched" Samantha, the court was told.

Mr Woodcock said his client admitted having a row with his girlfriend but denied being violent.

"Then Kaine gets involved and all hell broke loose," Mr Woodcock said.

"Things exploded and became much, much more serious."

Allen said that after he was hit over the head with a bottle, Samantha had gone to a neighbour's house and he had armed himself with a knife.

The prosecution alleged he stabbed his partner through the door knowing she was there.

"Things exploded and became much, much more serious..."

And this afternoon, the jury found him guilty of murder, with the verdict greeted by gasps from family members sitting in the public gallery while the defendant remained impassive.

But before Judge Statman could sentence Allen, the defendant accused the barristers of corruption, before railing at the judge and lawyers demanding to see the weapon and threatening violence.

Following a 40-minute gap, the judge stated order had been restored and that he now plans to sentence the killer tomorrow after hearing statements about the impact the murder has had on the victim's family.

He then thanked the jury and excused them from service for 10 years.