A Fife man has admitted killing his pensioner step-father before going on a dog walk just minutes later.
Dale Berwick fatally punched and kicked Thomas Adams, 65, at the family home in Glenrothes, on February 20 this year.
The 29-year-old had recently moved back there after a love split and had been 'struggling' to deal with the relationship breakdown.
Berwick later told his mother Jacqueline Adams - Thomas's wife - that what happened was "a massive mistake".
The first offender admitted to a culpable homicide charge during a hearing at the High Court in Glasgow on Thursday.
He was remanded in custody pending sentencing next month.
Hours before the killing, Berwick left the house after an apparent argument with Thomas.
When he returned, he lashed out at his step-dad who was holding a cup of coffee.
Thomas had also just come back from taking a young relative to McDonald's for dinner.
The child rushed to get Berwick's mum, who found the men confronting each other.
Prosecutor Shanti Maguire said: "In the course of the struggle, Berwick punched Thomas three or four times to the chest.
"He then kicked him causing him to fall. The child witnessed Berwick kick Thomas on the chest.
"Thomas indicated that he was struggling for breath. Berwick then kicked him again."
The killer fled as Thomas begged his wife to call an ambulance before collapsing onto a table.
Police arrived first and found the OAP grey and unresponsive. Due to paramedics being "some distance away", officers carried out CPR.
They tried to use a defibrillator to revive Thomas - but police could not use it when a "warning" signal showed on the device.
Thomas was initially found to have a swollen neck as a result of a collapsed lung. He never survived the attack.
Miss Maguire then told the court: "After initially attending the scene - and before the ambulance arrived - police went to look for Berwick.
"He was located close by walking a dog. He was arrested for assaulting Thomas."
After being held in custody, Berwick called his mum Jacqueline, who confronted him about the death of her husband.
He insisted it was "accidental" and that it was a "massive mistake".
The court heard Thomas died as a result of blunt force chest trauma associated with rib fractures. This also affected the lungs.
Lady Stacey adjourned sentencing until next month for reports.
The family of Thomas later issued the following statement through Police Scotland.
They said: "Thomas was a kind-hearted and loving husband, father, father-in-law, grandad and brother who will be sorely missed by all of his family and many friends."
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