A TEENAGE thug was today convicted of the brutal murder of his best friend's brother at a party.

Stuart McCulloch, 18, from Saltcoats, stabbed dad-of-one Sam Johnston through the heart.

He collapsed dying within seconds of the fatal blow.

Friends at the party and a neighbour tried desperately to save his life, but he died from massive blood loss.

The attack took place at a friend's house at 36 Parkend Gardens, Saltcoats, on October 26, last year, when a party turned sour.

Just minutes earlier the host Leona Conn, 19, had asked everyone to leave after a hole was punched in one of her doors.

Co-accused Allan Carey, 19, from Ardrossan, was cleared of murder, but was convicted of the reduced charge of culpable homicide, The Crown said that although Carey did not deliver the fatal blow he had taken part in the attack on Mr Johnston with McCulloch.

McCulloch is now facing detention without limit of time. He was remanded in custody.

Both accused will be sentenced next month.

Judge Bill Dunlop QC told them: “I can't deal with this case at this stage in view of your ages.” Both accused denied murder.

The High Court in Glasgow heard that first offender McCulloch had just returned from Romania where he had been doing charity work shortly before the murder.

Prosecutor Sheena Fraser told the jury that the murder weapon had Mr Johnston's blood on it and McCulloch's DNA on the handle.

In evidence McCulloch denied stabbing Mr Johnston to death. He claimed that the killer was 22-year-old Fergal Morgan, from Drumchapel, Glasgow, who was originally also charged with murder.

Miss Fraser said to McCulloch: “You are the one who put the knife in Mr Johnston's chest, aren't you,” and he replied: “I never did it.” McCulloch was asked why he never told Mr Johnston's brother Ross – his best friend since primary school – who had stabbed him and he replied: “I can't remember why I never told him.” Miss Fraser said: “You didn't tell him because it would have been too difficult to admit to your best friend you had murdered his brother,” and McCulloch said: “That's wrong.” McCulloch said the reason that his DNA was on the murder weapon was because as they left the flat Morgan, who is serving a sentence for robbing and assaulting a 68-year-old woman at Alpine Stores in Ardrossan and three weeks later attacking a man in his Ardrossan home, handed him the murder weapon and asked him to throw it away.

Mr Morgan was cleared of murder during the trial after the Crown withdrew the libel against him.

In evidence he told the court he heard McCulloch say he had stabbed Mr Johnston, but added: “I didn't believe him.” Mr Morgan admitted that he had sent texts to a number of women saying he had stabbed Mr Johnston, but said this was 'showing off' and 'bravado'.

When he was asked by Donald Findlay QC, representing McCulloch, if he was the killer he replied: "I didn't kill Sam."

Morgan was asked who had carried out the stabbing and said: "Stuart. He told me."

He told the court that McCulloch showed him two knives and added: "I took the long knife off him and put it down a drain."

When asked what happened to the other knife Morgan replied: "I told Stuart to get rid of it. He threw it. I didn't know where it went."