John Nicholles, who was found guilty of the manslaughter of a mourner in a Manor Park cemetery, has today had his jail sentenced increased from nine to 14 years.

The case was heard at the Court of Appeal, where it was referred to and presented by the solicitor general, Robert Buckland QC MP, under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme.

Speaking after the decision was made, Mr Buckland said: “The sentence went up quite dramatically because the Court of Appeal, like me, were very concerned.

“I felt that nine years wasn’t very sufficient.”

Nicholles, 53, was initially sentenced at Southwark Crown Court in April following a trial there.

During the three week trial, jurors heard how a scuffle broke out between Nicholles and 54-year-old Peter John during a funeral at the City of London Cemetery on July 23, 2014.

Nicholles stabbed Mr John once in the neck with a knife that had fallen out of his pocket during the fight before driving off, leaving Mr John on the grass verge.

He called 999 but provided them with inadequate information to help Mr John, who was found by workers at the cemetery.

He was taken to the Royal London Hospital but died that evening.

Mr Buckland added: “There’s quite a large and serious public concern about people who carry knives and use knives.

“Although this was a case of manslaughter, the jury decided, and not murder, the fact was he brought a knife to the cemetery and that knife was used by him to inflict a very serious injury.”