A man hit his partner over the head with a brick before he stabbed her in the chest during a fight over money.

Police attended Graham Buist's home over a "domestic" incident, hours before he murdered his partner Joanne Rennie at their Angus home.

The 30-year-old has admitted murdering his partner after he "lost the plot" during a fight at the house on Culloden Road, Arbroath.

Buist was drunk when he struck his 4ft 10in partner over the head with a brick and inflicted a single, fatal 17cm stab wound to her chest.

Miss Rennie phoned police on September 26 last year but when officers arrived they found her calm and she complained that money had been lost in the house.

Officers spoke to her and Buist but neither made a complaint and they left.

Hours later a neighbour was wakened by sounds of a woman screaming and yelling "Help me" more than once, but when the noise stopped he fell back asleep.

Another neighbour heard the pair arguing and sounds of Miss Rennie crying.

Before 2am that morning, Buist phoned the emergency services and told an operator: "I've murdered my partner."

He told the operator he had stabbed his victim and that she was lying up against a cupboard door.

Police found him kneeling over his partner after forcing entry to the flat.

Buist later told police the pair had argued because Miss Rennie had lost £70 benefit money.

He said he "just lost the plot. I stabbed her."

Advocate depute Richard Goddard told the court that the loss of Miss Rennie to her mother and siblings had been profound.

Lord Bannatyne deferred sentence on Buist for background reports, at the High Court in Edinburgh.

IN DETAIL

• Man in court charged with murder after death of partner in flat