A drug dealer who killed a father in Aberdeen has been sentenced to five years in prison.

Calvin Brown, 22, stabbed his victim following a violent confrontation over drugs in the city's Tillydrone area. He was originally charged with murder but accepted a reduced charge of culpable homicide in January.

The judge at the High Court in Inverness on Friday said the case was a tragedy but added, that had it not been for the victim's own contribution he would be alive today.

Christopher Branigan died from multiple stab wounds following a violent confrontation in July of last year. Mr Branigan was killed after he and another man visited Brown's flat armed with a knife and baseball bat. Police believe the pair went to the flat to steal drugs and money.

A fight ensued and the Jamaican-born Brown got hold of the knife and repeatedly struck Mr Branigan. His body was found in a stairwell.

An investigation by Grampian Police followed. It revealed both attacker and victim were part of a seedy underworld fuelled by drugs. The court heard how many drug users – including Mr Branigan – visited Brown's flat to get heroin.

In sentencing Brown (pictured), Judge Lord Turnbull said the flat was "blatantly operated" as a heroin shop and the conflict "demonstrated the dangers" that exist in the drug-dealing world.

Lord Turnbull said that while the loss of life was a tragic consequence he could not ignore Mr Branigan's own contribution. The judge said the 41-year-old father-of-two would have been alive today had he not decided to initiate the attack.

Brown was sentenced to just over five years in detention, including three years for drugs offences and two-plus years for culpable homicide. The Crown have said it will move to have Brown deported to Jamaica after the sentence is served.