Drug user admits fatal attack on heroin dealer

A DRUG user killed a heroin dealer after staging a robbery at his home as he tried to get more drugs.

The High Court in Edinburgh heard that Donald Stone said he "had tied him up and tortured him because he wouldn't give him more drugs or money".

Stone's victim, Ian Thomson, 56, died in hospital four days after the attack in Fauldhouse on December 5 last year.

Mr Thomson, who was known as "Bones" suffered a punctured lung and broken ribs after the attack at his home in Ogilvy Crescent.

Pathologists said he died following a blunt trauma to the chest resulting in fatal pneumonia.

Stone, 24, of Scott Place, Fauldhouse, was originally charged with murdering Mr Thomson, but the Crown accepted his guilty plea to the reduced charge of culpable homicide.

Temporary judge John Beckett QC deferred sentence on Stone for the preparation of a background report and risk assessment.