A Scots knife fiend is facing a life sentence after stabbing a young dad in the back 11 times with such force that the blade snapped off.
Callum Andrews carried out the brutal killing of Terry Smith at a Motherwell house party in the early hours of August 13, 2019.
The High Court in Glasgow was told that the incident was sparked after the 30-year-old victim began winding up another man, Connor Doherty, about the t-shirt he was wearing.
Andrews, 22, grabbed a blade from the kitchen and attacked Terry while 20-year-old Doherty smashed him over the head with a vase and a bottle.
Within 30 seconds, the victim - known as TJ - was lying dead on the living floor with the blade of the knife still embedded inside him.
Andrews, who later boasted he had murdered someone, claimed that he was acting under provocation after his friend Doherty was threatened by TJ, who he said had a knife.
He denied murder but admitted the culpable homicide of TJ.
At the time of the killing Andrews was on bail and banned by a court order from leaving his home in Glasgow Road, Wishaw between 9pm and 9am.
Doherty, who was also charged with murdering TJ, was convicted of the reduced charge of assault to injury.
The court was told how TJ’s partner was pregnant at the time of the attack and had since given birth to a son who never got to meet his dad.
Prosecutor Kevin McCallum told the court: “Mr Smith had a nine-year-old daughter and his partner Stacey Gilmour was pregnant at the time. She has since given birth to a baby son.”
The court was told that Andrews has previous convictions for violence, including assaulting his mother and a six-year-old child.
Defence QC Tony Graham, representing Andrews, said: “Callum Andrews is the stabber. He acted because he thought Mr Doherty was in mortal danger.
“Terry Smith had cornered Mr Doherty. At that stage the only thing Mr Andrews could do was go to the aid of his pal and that's precisely what he did.
“He did not take a knife to the party. His position is that Mr Smith was wielding a knife and Mr Andrews made a split second decision to assist his pal and get a knife from the kitchen.”
Lindsey Davidson, who was at the party, said her friend TJ had been "teasing" Doherty about the clothing he was wearing.
Miss Davidson said: "It was just whatever was on his T-shirt. He was just winding him up - that was the way Terry was."
She said in evidence that Andrews got a knife from the kitchen and "just went for Terry".
Judge Lady Stacey deferred sentence on both men until April for background reports. Andrews was remanded in custody and Doherty was given bail.
TJ’s family issued a heartbreaking tribute at the time of his death.
It read: "We feel like we are living in a nightmare that we can't wake up from. Terry was a loving son, brother, dad, fiancé, grandson, nephew, cousin, uncle and friend.
"His death has left a massive gap in our hearts that nothing will be able to replace. We would like to thank family and friends for their overwhelming support.
"We want justice for Terry. It will never bring him back but we wouldn't wish another family to go through what we are going through."
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