A Polish man killed a stranger with a single punch in an argument over a handbag after being kicked out of a nightclub.

Mariusz Winiarski, 35, struck Brian Stirling outside the club in King Street, Bathgate, causing him to fall and strike his head on the ground.

The High Court in Edinburgh heard that Mr Stirling, 54, had been holding a woman's handbag before Winiarski knocked him out.

Defence counsel John Scullion QC said Winiarski, who had been drinking, saw the victim looking into the handbag.

He said: "His initial reaction was the deceased was stealing from her. He accepts the conclusion he reached was entirely wrong and he accepts his reason in punching Mr Stirling cannot be justified."

The lawyer added: "He accepts full responsibility for the tragic consequences of his actions."

Winiarski was originally charged with murder but on Wednesday pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of culpable homicide.

He admitted assaulting and killing Mr Stirling, formerly of Whiteside in Bathgate, on December 17 last year by punching him on the head, causing him to fall to the ground and strike his head. Mr Stirling later died of his injuries.

Winiarski, a Polish national who worked as a driver, also admitted assaulting Robert Parker, an acquaintance of Mr Stirling, by punching his head.

Advocate depute Lynsey MacDonald said Winiarski did not know the men he attacked.

Mr Stirling, a baker, had gone to the Dreadnought nightclub in Bathgate on December 16 where he met Mr Parker.

Winiarski was in the club with a woman who was on a night out with workmates.

However, Winiarski was thrown out of the club after being caught going into the men's toilets with the woman. She left the club with Winiarski just as Mr Stirling and Mr Parker were leaving.

CCTV footage shown to the court revealed what happened next.

The woman approached Mr Parker and Mr Stirling and opened her handbag to let them look in it.

Mr Stirling then took the handbag and continued to look into it.

Winiarski then walked up to Mr Parker and spoke to him before turning and grabbing the handbag from Mr Stirling, putting it on the ground after a struggle. Winiarski then lashed out at the two men.

After he was punched, Mr Stirling fell backwards and landed on the pavement.

However, Winiarski pulled his unconscious victim by the arm into the recovery position and waited until police arrived.

Mr Stirling was later found to have broken ribs, a fractured skull and a brain haemorrhage on arrival at hospital.

Advocate depute Ms MacDonald said: "Doctors concluded that surgical intervention was not feasible given the nature of the injury."

The cause of death was recorded as blunt force head trauma.

Defence counsel Mr Scullion said Winiarski was "fully aware of the impact of his actions on those who knew and loved Mr Stirling.

"He has asked me to take this opportunity to apologise for the continuing pain and suffering he has caused."

Judge Lord Burns deferred sentence until May and remanded Winiarski in custody.

Police have thanked Mr Stirling's family for their assistance during the investigation.

Detective inspector Dave Pinkney said: "At no time during this totally unprovoked attack on Brian Stirling did Mariusz Winiarski consider the consequences of his action and this has ultimately resulted in Brian's tragic death.

"Winiarski's guilty plea is testament to the overwhelming evidence gathered against him by the Major Investigation Team and spares Brian's family and fiancée from reliving this horrific ordeal if it were to go to a full trial.

"My thoughts and sympathies are with Brian's loved ones at this time and I would like to thank them all for their assistance and support during our investigation."