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John Buchanan cleared of murder of Archie Ward in Ramsgate

A man has been acquitted of murdering a love rival after hurling a knife at him through an open car window.

But the jury convicted John Buchanan, 22, of the manslaughter of Archie Ward, 40, after a love feud turned fatal.

The court heard how the blade pierced Mr Ward’s right leg, severing an artery as he drove away after a confrontation between the two men.

John Buchanan was cleared of murder but convicted of manslaughter. Picture: Kent Police
John Buchanan was cleared of murder but convicted of manslaughter. Picture: Kent Police

Buchanan had denied both charges after an incident near his home in St John’s Crescent, Newington, in Ramsgate, in June last year.

Now he faces a long jail sentence after the jury rejected his claim to have thrown the kitchen knife at the car and not Mr Ward.

He will be sentenced in two weeks.

Mum-of-two Hannah Blake and Buchanan had been together at a neighbour's barbecue drinking rum and coke when Mr Ward, who was 15 stone and 6ft 2ins, drove past on Father's Day after dropping off the children at her mother’s home.

She told the jury how her 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."

The scene of the incident in Ramsgate
The scene of the incident in Ramsgate

She said she was told that her former lover’s car was near her home in St John’s Crescent and she panicked the two men would meet.

“I went to the car and spoke with Archie," she said. "He said he had come round to collect a jacket but there wasn’t any jacket in the house.”

Prosecutor Philip Bennetts QC told the jury: “On one occasion a friend of Buchanan, Adam Lowery, overheard a telephone conversation between the two men.

“Mr Ward threatened Buchanan saying he would kick 'John from one end of Newington to the other'.

Archie Ward died from a knife wound
Archie Ward died from a knife wound

“The same friend said Buchanan would give as good as he got.”

The prosecutor claimed that another friend, Carlana Berry, heard Buchanan goading his rival by saying things like “I’m sh*gging your missus.”

Mr Bennetts said Buchanan had made a number of threats to stab his rival and picked up a knife when he was aware that Mr Ward was nearby.

After a confrontation inside the house, Mr Ward left after apologising and Ms Blake spoke to Mr Ward in his car as Buchanan stood near the kitchen window “waving a knife and goading Archie,”

He added that Buchanan appeared outside and threw the knife from about 10 metres away.

The case was heard at Canterbury Crown Court
The case was heard at Canterbury Crown Court

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

“He drove off and Mr Smith said ’that sounds like a main artery’ and Buchanan replied 'hopefully he’s f****** dead’," he said.

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

The ex-lover of Ward told a murder trial of the final moments of his life – as he confronted her boyfriend, who was armed with a knife.

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