A man who killed a love rival after throwing a knife through an open car window has been jailed for nine years.

John Buchanan, 22, was acquitted of murdering Archie Ward, 40, after a feud over a woman turned fatal, but the jury convicted of manslaughter.

The “love triangle of death” jury heard how the blade pierced Mr Ward’s his right leg, severing an artery, as he went to drive away from a confrontation with Buchanan.

Buchanan had denied both charges.

His lover, sitting in public gallery, buried her head in her hands as sentence was passed.

The trial at Canterbury Crown Court heard how the violence erupted near Buchanan's home in St John’s Crescent, Newington in Ramsgate on Father's Day in June last year.

Buchanan had been drinking rum and Coke with his girlfriend, mum-of-two Hannah Blake, at a barbecue when her ex-boyfriend Mr Ward drove past the house after dropping off their children at her mother's home nearby.

She had earlier told the jury how her 6ft 2, 15 stone ex-partner had previously threatened to kill Buchanan during one row, adding: "And John said he would stab Archie but it wouldn’t have been a match because Archie was much bigger. It was a man against a boy."

Prosecutor Philip Bennetts QC told the jury how Buchanan had stood near the kitchen window "waving a knife and goading Archie".

Neighbour Cassandra Holt told how Mr Ward stormed into the house where Buchanan was.

She added: "I ran in after him and told him to leave. I don't know how I did it but he left and got into his car.

"I shouted 'no' because I saw John had a knife in his hand. And he throws it. I didn't see where it landed."

Mr Bennetts said Buchanan had appeared outside the house and threw the knife from about 10 metres away.

“The knife went through the open front passenger’s door window. Mr Ward was seen to lift the knife and there was blood on it," he said.

“He drove off and (neighbour) Lee Smith said: 'That sounds like a main artery' and Buchanan replied: 'Hopefully he’s ******* dead!'"

Mr Ward managed to drive to nearby Bush Avenue before collapsing in a garden, where he was found by a passerby. He died later that night from his injury.

Passing sentence, Judge Heather Norton told Buchanan: "If you were in fear to the extent you say, why did you leave the place of safety, still holding the knife?

"That is demonstrated by you holding the big knife throughout. It was a deliberate act that you threw the knife.

"It was a cowardly act by a fired-up man. This was not a knife used in a struggle but a knife thrown as your victim was leaving and offering no threat."

She said but for the knife, the victim's father would have his son and his children would have their father.

The judge said that Mr Ward began to drive away after the argument.

"Matters could and should have ended there," she said. "That they did not and that they continued and culminated in the death of Mr Ward was entirely your responsibility.

"You, once more, came to the front door of the house. You still had possession of the knife. You threw the knife in the direction of Mr Ward.

"As I have already said, you had hold of the knife throughout, which demonstrates that you were prepared to use it, as indeed you did.

"It was a cowardly act by a fired-up man" - Judge Heather Norton

"It has been submitted that there was significant provocation prior to the act of throwing the knife and that your overwhelming reaction was one of fear.

"But there was no immediate threat to you, indeed the threat was receding and Mr Ward, who was at all times unarmed, was in the process of leaving.

"Whilst you did not intend the consequences, nevertheless this was a deliberate, unlawful and extremely dangerous act, which carried with it an obvious risk that Mr Ward would be harmed.

"You did not pick up this knife on the spur of the moment, but held on to throughout. This was not a use of a knife in the course of a physical altercation or a struggle but the throwing of a weapon at an unarmed man who was in the process of leaving the scene.

The court heard Buchanan had received a 16-month suspended jail sentence just days before the killing, and was wearing an electronic tag, after leading police on an eight-minute high-speed chase through Ramsgate.

Officers then found cocaine on him.

Buchanan's defence counsel, Oliver Saxby QC, said there had been "significant" provocation during the incident, adding: "He deeply regrets what happened. And he did what he did in a maelstrom of fear and anger."

Mr Ward, a scaffolding supervisor, was a "doting, caring, fun-loving" dad, the court was told.

His mother was suffering from cancer, and died 12 days after the killing.

A victim impact statement on behalf of Archie Ward's brother, Mark Boocock, was read out by a relative.

He said: "The positive impact Michael (Archie) had on people cannot be overestimated.

"He was a wonderful person with a hugely affectionate nature and sunny outlook on life.

"He was interested in you and had the rare ability to make you feel good about yourself.

"Archie is sorely missed by his family and friends and that is down to Buchanan’s appalling and cowardly actions that day" - DI Tristan Kluibenschadl

"Every day we have friends of his come to us to say how much they are hurting because of Michael not being there, many are people we did not know before.

"The testimony of the kindness and fun he brought to people's lives was apparent through the outpouring of love on social media and at his funeral where hundreds and hundreds of people attended. The messages of tenderness and loss were unbearable."

After the hearing, senior investigating officer Detective Inspector Tristan Kluibenschadl said: "Michael Ward, known to his friends as Archie, is sorely missed by his family and friends and that is down to Buchanan’s appalling and cowardly actions that day.

"He repeatedly threatened the victim and had clearly intended to cause harm when he armed himself with a seven-inch kitchen knife.

"He showed little remorse or concern for Mr Ward’s welfare following the attack and did not seem to care that the whole thing had played out in front of families, including children, who were gathered in the street.

"This is a sad case and I hope one which will reinforce the message that knife crime and the use of violence to resolve issues can have grave consequences and simply won’t be tolerated by Kent Police.

"Buchanan is a young man but will now serve years in prison for his actions."