A KILLER who stabbed his friend after a row during a drink and drugs binge has been jailed for eight years.

Richard Waterhouse knifed Paul Olney, aged 35, in a house in Denham Close, Wivenhoe, where Mr Olney lived with his mother Joyce and a lodger.

His body was discovered in the dedicated tattoo room which had been set up for the talented artist where he had died after being stabbed.

Waterhouse, 31, was due to stand trial for murder on Tuesday, but before proceedings began he admitted the lesser charge of manslaughter, which was accepted by the Crown Prosecution Service.

He claims Mr Olney tried to attack him first with a used needle, and then with the knife which he then turned on him.

Passing sentence, Judge Patricia Lynch QC at Chelmsford Crown Court said: “The bottom line is you took a man’s life.”

The incident occurred on Monday, June 6.

Police were called to the property shortly before 3.50pm on June 6 after Paul’s mother found him in an upstairs bedroom.

He died several hours before emergency services were called.

Waterhouse, Paul and another man had been taking drugs together in the hours before he was killed. There was a disagreement and Paul ended up being stabbed in the left shoulder. The 35-year-old’s body was found later that day.

The knife was never found and Waterhouse was arrested near the scene shortly after.

A 37-year-old man from Colchester was also arrested but he was later released without charge.

DCI Stephen Jennings, Senior Investigating Officer, said: "Waterhouse admitted unlawfully killing Paul Olney, accepting that he lost control and went over the top but was responsible for his death.

"The sentence today means he will spend a long time behind bars. No sentence will ever bring him back but hopefully they can now do their best to move on and remember the good times they shared."