THE girlfriend of a man murdered in a case of mistaken identity says her family’s world has been torn apart.

Gary Theo, 33, was stabbed outside his home in Shakespeare Road, Gillingham, by David Sadler who thought he was attacking his wife’s ex-lover, Robert Tabberer.

Sadler, 39, was found guilty of murder at Maidstone Crown Court and given a life sentence. But for Mr Theo’s girlfriend, Karen Appleton, the nightmare continues.

Miss Appleton, who witnessed her boyfriend’s murder in August last year, said: “I’m relieved that Sadler has been found guilty, but I’m still angry. I’m angry at Sadler because he took Gary away from me but I’m also angry at Rob Tabberer for sending Sadler in Gary’s direction.”

Tabberer, a childhood friend of Mr Theo’s, had been having an affair with Sadler’s wife.

When Sadler found out, he made more than 400 threatening and abusive calls to Tabberer and, on that fateful night, told him he was coming to get him.

Tabberer told him he was staying at Theo’s address in Gillingham, despite being away in the West Midlands. When Sadler turned up in Shakespeare Road it was Mr Theo, and not Tabberer, with whom he fought, and whom he stabbed.

Miss Appleton, 33, who has three children from a previous marriage, said: “Gary was just looking after his family. He was like a father to my three kids and when Sadler turned up shouting abuse, he just wanted to protect us.

“I will never understand why Rob told Sadler he was at our address and I will never, ever forgive him. I haven’t spoken to Rob since and I will never speak to him again. Only he knows why he did what he did.

“After Gary was stabbed, the last thing he said to me before he collapsed was ‘Sorry, babe’ but he had nothing to be sorry for. He did nothing wrong.”

Sadler denied murder, claiming he was acting in self-defence, but a jury of seven men and five women reached a unanimous guilty verdict. Mr Justice Nelson told Sadler: “A man has needlessly and tragically lost his life."