A man who killed a party-goer following a row over a missing bottle of alcohol has been jailed for nine years.

Paul Beattie, 46, stabbed James Gatti after the pair became involved in a confrontation outside a house in Gilmerton, Edinburgh, last year.

The high court in the city heard how Beattie struck his neighbour Mr Gatti twice with a kitchen knife after he saw his victim place his hands around his partner's throat.

The trio had been enjoying a night out in Mr Gatti's mum Lorraine Cole's house.

But Beattie and his partner were forced to leave the gathering after she got into an argument with fellow party-goers.

She thought they had stolen a bottle of Malibu from her.

Beattie, also of Edinburgh, stood trial on a murder charge last month.

The court heard that he had spent the evening before the crime drinking large amounts of alcohol and taking drugs.

But jurors convicted him of the lesser offence of culpable homicide.

On Thursday, as a result of the alleged assault on Beattie, judge Lady Scott sat in private.

Around 15 police officers were on duty in the high court building and members of the public were refused admission into the court.

Defence advocate Shelagh McCall QC stated that her client had always accepted stabbing Mr Gatti and had tried to plead guilty to culpable homicide before trial.

However, prosecutors refused to accept the plea and forced Beattie to go to trial.

Ms McCall stated that the law stated that people in her client's position should receive a discounted sentence.

Lady Scott accepted the submission and cut Beattie's sentence by two years.

Passing sentence, Lady Scott added: "You have robbed a young man of his life, his wife of her life partner and his young children of their father.

"They and the wider close knit family are left devastated and are forever bereft.

"The consequence of your conduct could not be more serious or heartbreaking.

"On the other hand, I take into account of the fact that this attack was out of character.

"You are 46 years of age and you have no history of violence, far less violence involving a lethal weapon. I accept too that you have remorse and shown insight on the effect of your conduct."

She said: "Balancing all of these factors, I sentence you to nine years imprisonment reduced from 11 years."