Oakley murder: Christopher Brown's attack killed Henry White

Christopher Brown (36) attacked Henry White at a house in Oakley, and repeatedly hit the older man with his elbow, punched him and kneed him before dragging him outside and abandoning him.

Mr White sustained multiple rib fractures, a collapsed lung and other injuries in the fatal attack on March 21 and 22 last year at the address in Erskine Wynd.

Brown had denied murdering Mr White (57) but a jury at the High Court in Edinburgh convicted him of the crime by a majority verdict.

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He offered to plead guilty to killing the victim by tendering a plea to the lesser offence of culpable homicide but the Crown rejected the plea.

Defence counsel Mark Stewart KC told the court after the verdict that Brown was aware there was only one sentence that could be passed, life imprisonment.

The investigation at Erskine Wynd.

The trial judge, Lady Hood, adjourned the case for the preparation of a background report on Brown to a sentencing hearing next month when she will also set a minimum term Brown must serve before he can become eligible to seek parole under a life term.

The judge told jurors that it had been "a distressing and complex case" and that counselling was available for those who served on the jury.

Advocate depute Michelle Brannagan told the court that among Brown's previous convictions were offences of assault.

Henry White (Image: Police Scotland)The prosecutor told jurors  that Mr White was subjected to a brutal and prolonged assault by Brown and as a direct result of the beating he suffered at his attacker's hands he lost his life.

She said: "Henry White was knocked unconscious not once, not twice but on three separate occasions that night."

"You heard that when Henry White lay on the floor unconscious Christopher Brown dragged him from the hallway outside," she told jurors.

The prosecutor said in her speech to the jury: "I submit the evidence is clear. This was a murderous attack by Christopher Brown."

Brown was at the home of his then girlfriend Leanne McKenzie on the night that the violence erupted. Mr White had arrived at the house and was having a drink.

Ms McKenzie (30) said Brown went for a bath but when he returned to join them he grabbed Mr White and said they were talking about him.

She said Brown elbowed the older man in the face "pretty hard" and Mr White was knocked unconscious and when he came to she asked him to go home.

But she said the situation got worse and after Mr White came round he was hit again and fell to the floor and Brown kneed him.

Sentence was deferred on Brown until November 21 at the High Court in Inverness. He was remanded in custody ahead of sentencing.