The family of a “much loved” man from Mottingham, who was stabbed to death by his neighbour on Boxing Day, watched today as his killer was jailed for 14 years.

Chris Fruen, 52, remained emotionless in the dock at Inner London Crown Court as Judge Roger Chapple sentenced him for the manslaughter of 64-year-old Patrick Mulroe.

Fruen fatally stabbed Mr Mulroe, known to family as Patsy, seven or eight times after an argument over excessive noise escalated into a fight outside their homes in Luxfield Road.

Last month a jury found Fruen not guilty of murder, but guilty of an alternative count of manslaughter.

Judge Chapple described Mr Mulroe's death as a tragedy for everyone involved.

He told Fruen: "First and foremost for the Mulroe family who, because of your actions, have lost a loving son, husband, father and friend.

"Patsy Mulroe was, it’s clear, much loved. He was hard working, warm, and sociable. You forever changed that.

"Christmas will always, I anticipate, be a particularly poignant and difficult time for them."

He added: “No mother should have to deal with the death of her son.”

The argument in the early hours of Boxing Day began when Mr Mulroe’s wife Tina shouted out of the window to Fruen and his wife Sandra, who were seeing someone off into a taxi.

There had been a long running argument over excessive noise made by the Mulroe family, which had resulted in the Fruens making three complaints to Greenwich Council.

Fruen claimed he had gone back into the house to cut up the turkey for a sandwich when the argument escalated outside.

Patrick Upward QC, defending, said today: “When he left the house he did so unaware that he was carrying a knife with him.”

But judge Chapple disputed that claim and said he was sure Fruen knew he was armed with a knife.

He said: “To conclude otherwise seems to me to fly in the face of common sense and reason.

“If for one single moment, and I do not accept you were unaware, it was due to the drink and drugs that you had voluntarily taken.

“You took a knife with you when you left your house suspecting there would be trouble.”

Prosecuting, Simon Denison QC said it was “inconceivable” that Fruen did not realise he had a knife in his hand “when he stabbed Mr Mulroe seven or eight times”.

Fruen knew he was intoxicated with a mixture of alcohol and cocaine on the night of the killing, Mr Denison told the court.

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Judge Chapple said he accepted it was probably Mr Mulroe who struck the first blow, adding: "but you then stabbed him repeatedly causing his death".

He told Fruen: "You returned and put the knife in the dishwasher as Patsy Mulroe's life was ebbing away next door.

"Your dishwasher was removing his blood from the knife you had used to kill him."

In considering his sentence, Judge Chapple said there was high culpability in taking a knife to the scene of trouble.

"As far as the harm you caused, it was devastating," he added.

Judge Chapple said what Freun did in the early hours of Boxing Day was "wholly out of character" and accepted it too was a tragedy for him and his family.

He said his actions have "forever changed" the Mulroes' lives, his own life and those of his family, including his "wholly blameless sons".

Freun pleaded not guilty to the charge of murder, claiming self-defence, and maintained his innocence throughout the trial.

Judge Chapple said: "Your lack of any sort of remorse for what you did throughout the trial was a notable factor of this case.

"The letter which came to me today speaks of your remorse - that comes very late in the day."

Mr Denison said Fruen did nothing to help Mr Mulroe after he stabbed him, “despite the screams from next door which we submit he must have heard”.

Fruen, who had no previous convictions, lied about the knife and continued to blame Mr Mulroe for his own death throughout the trial, the court heard.

In mitigation, Mr Upward said Fruen had been distressed by the effect his actions have had on his family, and in particular his 15-year-old son.

He said: “Although the defendant acknowledges that this was a tragedy that has brought horrendous sadness to the Mulroe family, there have been consequences the other way.”

Fruen’s actions were not planned, and the tragedy happened in seconds, Mr Upward told the court.

He said: “The events that follow were best explained by shock over what had happened, rather than a deliberate attempt to cover up.”