Man who stabbed friend to death in Dundee jailed

A man who killed a friend after repeatedly stabbing him in a drink fuelled rage at Christmas time has been jailed for more than 13 years.

Aldis Minakovskis,25, attacked Aigars Upenieks,34, at a block of flats in Thurso Crescent, Dundee, on December 23 2015 before leaving the scene without seeking help for his victim.

The High Court in Edinburgh heard the Latvian national's solicitor advocate Iain Paterson say on Friday that his client regretted taking his compatriot's life.

Mr Paterson also said his client was remorseful for what his actions following the fatal assault.

But judge Lord Uist told Mr Paterson: "If he really regretted his actions he would have phoned for an ambulance."

The judge's comments came moments before Minakovskis, of Dundee, was jailed for 13 years and eight months.

A jury at the High Court in Aberdeen last month convicted the car wash worker of culpable homicide. He was originally charged with murdering Mr Upenieks.

Lord Uist deferred sentence for the court to obtain reports about Minakovskis's character.

During proceedings last month, the court heard how the pair had been drinking on December 23 2015.

The two men started to argue and Minkvoskis struck his pal on his upper body three times a knife.

A jury heard how one of the blows entered through Mr Upeniek's right arm and went into his right lung dividing a major artery.

Jurors heard how the wound tract was 26 centimetres long. Minkovskis used such force with another blow that the handle of the knife became detached from the blade.

The court heard how following the attack, Minakovskis left his victim dying on the stairway of the flats and made off. He did not seek any help for his victim.

The jury found him guilty of culpable homicide.

On Thursday, Mr Paterson told Lord Uist that Minakovskis was sorry for his actions.

He added: "He displays remorse for what he has done."

However, Lord Uist told Minakovskis that jail was the only option available to him.

He added: "The evidence showed that you inflicted three blows to his upper body with the knife.

"One of these blows entered through the right upper arm and went into he right lung, dividing a major artery.

"The wound tract was 26 centimetres long, the extent of most, if not all the blade, and caused his death.

"Another blow caused two wounds, an entry wound and an exit wound. The force used by you was such that the handle became detached from the knife in the course of one of the wounds being inflicted.

"I must have regard principally to the fact that you took the life of another man by stabbing him repeatedly in the back with a lethal weapon and without there having been any provocation.

"The sentence which I must impose is therefore 13 years eight months imprisonment."