A DRUNKEN chef who left his colleague's guts hanging out after stabbing him in the stomach has been jailed for nine years.

Thiyagarajah Thirukkamaran had been drinking heavily when he plunged a 12in carving knife into 32-year-old Thavarasa Nallathamby's stomach, the Old Bailey heard.

Mr Nallathamby died after suffering massive blood loss and a heart attack two days after a drunken fight between the two men.

His death has left his three-year-old son and four-year-old daughter, orphaned, the court heard.

The incident happened on June 17 last year at the New Chicken Shop, Catford Road, Catford.

Jurors heard the chef was on his second bottle of brandy when he picked an argument with the victim, also known as Rasu.

Thirukkamaran, of Glyndon Road, Plumstead, had been arguing with the victim during the course of their shift.

At 2am he was seen marching from the back of the shop with the knife before his victim said: "If you want to stab, stab, let's see."

Prosecutor Jonathan Laidlaw said: "The two of them were fighting on the floor."

The court heard when Mr Nallathamby stood up he said: "My gut is hanging out."

A post-mortem examination found the knife had penetrated his body to a depth of 25cm.

Handing Thirukkamaran a nine-year prison sentence, Mr Justice Gross said a "thoroughly decent life has been lost".

The 46-year-old, who had denied murder, will be eligible for release on licence after serving at least half of the prison term.

Jurors acquitted Thirukkamaran of murder but he was found unanimously guilty of manslaughter.