A killer who murdered his girlfriend has been told he will serve at least 27 years behind bars before being considered for release.

Tom Allen was this afternoon jailed for life and given the more than two decades-long minimum term for stabbing mum-of-three Sam Murphy with a kitchen knife in Elfrida Close, Margate.

The thug took the sentence quietly at Maidstone Crown Court today - but had earlier become agitated as details of a previous conviction for an axe attack were revealed.

The 38-year-old began shouting from the secured dock and refused to stay quiet despite warnings from Judge Philip Statman, prompting security staff to escort him to the cells to calm down.

Minutes earlier he had heard Ms Murphy's sister Vicki Beacham describe how the family had been devastated by the death.

She told Allen: "You took our Sam from us, our daughter, our sister, our aunty and our mum.

"You were convicted of her murder. You should have been her support, her soulmate and the love of her life.

"Instead she died because of your actions. You have shattered our family and all because you were jealous.

"We took you into our arms and our parents helped bring you up.

"They loved you and this is how you repay them by taking away their beautiful daughter - and you haven't ever shown a shred of remorse, you just sat there with a smirk.

"Whatever your sentence, it will not be long enough and it will never bring Sam back.

"We hope you feel the pain and emptiness and hurt for the rest of your life. You have destroyed this family."

During the four-week trial, the jury heard how a get-together near his home in Elfrida Close turned nasty after drink and drugs were taken.

In the early hours of the morning in July last year, he and a neighbour, Kaine Blissett, became involved in a scuffle in the street after Allen "repeatedly punched" Ms Murphy, the court was told.

Ms Murphy, 37, then went inside a neighbour's home when Allen took a carving knife and stormed over the road where he kicked in the panel to the front door.

He then took the blade and thrust it through the gap stabbing his victim in the thigh and severing a vital artery, which resulted in her bleeding to death.

Before Judge Statman could pass sentence today, the jealous murderer interrupted his own barrister, shouting: "I don't want no reduction to my sentence."

"We hope you feel the pain and emptiness and hurt for the rest of your life. You have destroyed this family..."

Later, Robert Woodcock KC, defending, said: "He asks for no mercy.

"He accepts the heartfelt cry of Vicki Beacham, which she so courageously read.

"What he says is that the death of Samatha was not what he had intended."

Judge Statman told him that he had become paranoid because of the bad-blood argument.

"You took the view that you would leave your home armed with a knife - a wicked weapon," the judge said.

"You went there into a public place.

"We as a community know that knife crime is a cancer in our modern-day society."

Yesterday, the jury found him guilty of murder, with the verdict greeted by gasps from family members sitting in the public gallery.

Allen was due to be sentenced on the same day, but after the criminal launched a vile outburst from the dock, Judge Philip Statman decided to push it back to today.