Man stabbed best friend in heart

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A court has been told how a young man stabbed his best friend in the heart during a row about a woman.

Steven Herdsman, 20, of Smith Way, Beattock, had taken drink and drugs when he punched Kris Kendrick, also 20, but forgot he was carrying a knife.

His friend collapsed and died within minutes at his home in the south of Scotland village last August.

Herdsman, originally charged with murder, admitted culpable homicide on grounds of diminished responsibility.

Prosecutor Hugh Irwin told the High Court in Glasgow: "The accused and his victim were friends, although they regularly argued and fell out."

The court heard that Herdsman, who was in a relationship with 39-year-old Tracy McGuire, became angry because he believed she was also seeing Mr Kendrick.

Stem blood

He turned up at his friend's house in Beattock's Craigielands Park on 12 August last year and they scuffled.

Herdsman received a cut to his face and lashed out at his friend punching him once with a knife in his hand.

Mr Kendrick immediately said: "I've been stabbed."

Friends who were in the house tried in vain to stem the blood.

Minutes later Herdsman told police, who found him in the street covered in blood and still with the knife, that he did not want to live.

Mr Kendrick was stabbed in the heart by HerdsmanHe said: "I've just done my best friend - I forgot I had the knife in my hand."

"I just swung a punch, he's my best friend.

"It was over my girlfriend - I just lost it."

A post-mortem examination revealed that the knife came within a fraction of going right through Mr Kendrick's heart.

Mr Irwin said: "It would have taken moderate force to inflict the blow."

Defence QC Donald Findlay told the court that Herdsman had written a letter apologising for the killing.

Judge Lord Malcolm told Herdsman: "I am going to call for a social inquiry report and a risk assessment to evaluate the danger you pose to the public."

He deferred sentence on Herdsman, who is remanded in Dumfries Prison, until next month.

Mr Findlay will give his plea in mitigation then.