A KNIFEMAN stabbed a former Northwich student to death as a drunken argument ended in tragedy.

Gerard McKeown, 27, stabbed Gavin McAleer 16 times in a 'frenzy of panic', with one stab piercing his heart.

Mr McAleer, 27, a former St Nicholas RC High School, Hartford, student, died in an ambulance after the horrific knife attack outside the Vaults pub in Middlewich.

McKeown, of Dene Drive in Winsford, admitted murder at Chester Crown Court yesterday, and the court was shown the double-ended claw blade used in the attack.

Leighton Davies, prosecuting, said a drunken argument broke out between the pair just before midnight on September 1 last year.

He said: 'The defendant took the knife from his jacket pocket, drew both blades and inflicted horrific slash and stab wounds. The number of wounds and, in particular, the stab wound to the chest which penetrated Gavin's heart, caused massive bleeding.'

The court head that McKeown claimed Mr McAleer and his friends were 'starting on him because he was a Scouser'.

George Lawson-Rogers, defending, said that Mr McAleer may have thrown the first punch.

He said: 'He was acting out of self-defence. When he resorted to using the knife it became unreasonable force.

'He acted in a frenzy of panic when he began to feel that he was not having the better of things. My client has asked me to express his deep regret and remorse.'

McKeown will be sentenced today, and is expected to serve at least 15 years of a life-sentence.