A man beat his pensioner stepfather to death, then went to walk the dog.
Dale Berwick fatally punched and kicked Thomas Adams, 65, at the family home in Uist Road, Glenrothes on February 20.
The 29 year-old had recently moved back there after a love split.
Berwick later told his mother – Thomas’ wife – Jacqueline Adams what happened was “a massive mistake”.
The first offender admitted a culpable homicide charge at the High Court in Glasgow on Thursday.
Originally charged with murder, he was remanded in custody pending sentencing next month.
Killer punched and kicked the victim
Berwick had been described as “struggling” after the breakdown of a relationship.
Hours before the killing, he left the house after an apparent argument with Mr Adams.
When he returned, he lashed out at his stepfather, who was holding a cup of coffee.
Mr Adams had also just came back from taking a young relative to McDonald’s for dinner.
The child rushed to get Berwick’s mother, 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 he was struggling for breath.
“Berwick then kicked him again.”
Desperate attempt to revive pensioner
The killer fled as Mr Adams begged his wife to call an ambulance, before collapsing onto a table.
Police arrived first and found the pensioner grey and unresponsive.
Due to paramedics being “some distance away”, officers carried out CPR.
A defibrillator was also used to try to revive Mr Adams but police could not use it when a “warning” signal showed on the device.
Mr Adams was initially found to have a swollen neck as a result of a collapsed lung.
Miss Maguire 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.”
Insisted killing was ‘accidental’
After being held in custody, Berwick called his mother, who confronted him about the death of her husband.
He insisted it was “accidental” and that it was a “massive mistake”.
The court heard Mr Adams died as a result of blunt force chest trauma associated with rib fractures.
This also affected his lungs.
Lady Stacey adjourned sentencing until next month for reports.
After he died, Mr Adams’ family released a 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.”
