A 15-year-old Liverpool youth who killed his friend by stabbing him 12 times after a drink and drugs binge has been jailed for seven years.

Charliejo Calvert repeatedly stabbed Luke Howard, 16, during a fight which followed a night of bickering.

During a trial earlier this year Liverpool Crown Court was told Calvert stabbed Luke in August last year after they spent the night at a friend’s house where they smoked cannabis, took cocaine and drank beer and spirits.

Calvert, from Ronald Street, Old Swan, admitted killing Luke, from Dovecot, but denied murder on the grounds of self-defence and provocation, and last month a jury cleared him of murder but convicted him of manslaughter.

Sentencing Calvert at Liverpool Crown Court, Judge John Roberts said, after considering Calvert’s age, that the stabbing was not premeditated but the aggravating factor of the number of stab wounds meant only "long-term detention" would be appropriate.

He told Calvert: "You and Luke Howard had been at each other, niggling each other. You never had the intention to kill your friend. No sentence can ever bring back the life of young Luke Howard."

The judge added that it was a case of "grossly excessive self-defence" and Luke had repeatedly prodded Calvert with a screwdriver during the night and tried to stab him in the face with the tool.

Calvert, who wore a black T-shirt and jeans, stared straight ahead as the sentence was announced.

Judge Roberts said Calvert had spent 172 days in custody and this would count towards the sentence.

Judge Roberts also paid tribute to family members in the public gallery for their behaviour during the trial and sentencing.