A TEENAGER who killed a former Blackburn man who had been out celebrating his 32nd birthday has been jailed for five years.

Manchester Crown Court cleared Anthony Sherburn, 19, of murdering 32-year-old Anthony Eaves last March, but convicted him of manslaughter.

In the three-day trial the jury heard how Sherburn, who was then 18, had helped Anthony, who lived in Preston New Road, Blackburn for a time, and was a familiar face on Wimberley estate, Blackburn, celebrate his birthday with a night out in Wigan.

Anthony had moved to the town to start a new life nearly three years ago.

The court heard that at around 2.30am on March 31, the pair went to Sherburn's flat, in Coop's Building, where they played cards and had more drink.

It appeared Sherburn was tired and keen his drunken guest should leave, but Anthony, who had a bedsit in Wigan, became aggressive, the court was told.

Some of Sherburn's neighbours were disturbed about 4.15am, when he woke them asking for help saying his friend had been stabbed.

Sherburn had already dialled 999 after the incident in his flat and was arrested there, soon after the killing.

In evidence Sherburn said he was in a panic when Anthony suddenly stood up and approached him after refusing to leave.

He claimed his pal's mood had changed. He was very drunk and Sherburn said he, too, had drunk a lot.

He said: "I grabbed the kitchen knife from the table behind me. I pushed the knife towards him.

"My memory is vague. I don't know how he came to have two chest wounds. I really don't remember swinging the knife twice

" I realised the knife had gone into him and that he was hurt pretty badly."

He told the court that Anthony, who had also lived in New Lane, Oswaldtwistle, and whose family still live in Blackburn, was no more than a "drinking friend" and said he did not know his surname although he had known him about 18 months.

Sherburn said Anthony told him he had been in prison -- but not the reason why he had been jailed -- and that he had been drinking heavily.

He insisted he had not intended to kill Anthony Eaves or do him really serious harm. In truth, he claimed, he had not intended to injure him at all.

Jailing Sherburn Judge Simon Fawcus said: "This was a serious offence of unlawful killing. The jury -- in my judgement quite rightly -- acquitted you of murder, but the use of a knife in that situation cannot be tolerated.

" You have to live the rest of your life with the knowledge you killed a drinking companion with whom you had been on good terms for many months.

"The jury has found what you did went far beyond what was necessary to deal with any threat posed by the unarmed Mr Eaves, who, on your account, was extremely drunk."