A murder accused admitted stabbing a businessman while trying to rob him because he did not want his girlfriend selling her body, a court has heard.
Paul Balgowan, 24, of Aberdeen, is on trial accused of murdering Alan Bennett, 56, by luring him into an act of prostitution with his girlfriend.
The High Court in Aberdeen heard on Wednesday how Julie Carroll, also 24, was working as a prostitute in the city's red light district.
The pair were taken in for questioning two days after the insurance broker's body was discovered in Oldmill Road on May 30 last year.
In court the jury was shown footage of the police interview with Paul Balgowan.
He told police he had followed Carroll and ended up fighting with Mr Bennett on the city's Dee Street.
He explained in the interview: "I seen Julie and she was speaking to him. She disappeared and kept walking down the road.
"I shouted at him and he shouted back. I was saying to him that that's my wife. ‘What was he doing with her?’ and he just says 'I was going to shag her'.
"I just flipped and he started fighting back with me."
Balgowan gave police the information after officers informed him that his girlfriend had been charged with murder.
He said he had followed Carroll and Mr Bennett down Union Street from the harbour and on to Dee Street.
He told police: "I was just intending to rob him. Julie had walked away. I was showing him the knife telling him to give me his wallet and he started fighting with me.
"I thought I was just punching him back and I shoved him off and knifed him. I wasn't intending to kill him.
"I was going to rob him so she wouldn't have to sell her body because it hurts me so much."
The jury saw Balgowan crying throughout the interview as he described how he ended up wrestling on the ground with Mr Bennett.
He said he had carried out the attack after taking the prescription drug valium.
The court heard that Balgowan admitted feeling sick about his girlfriend working as a prostitute.
When police charged him at the end of the interview and asked if he had anything else to say, he replied: "Aye, that I didn't mean to murder him. I was just intending to rob him. I'm not a stone cold killer. It was an accident."
Balgowan is charged with murder, attempt to pervert the course of justice and conspiracy to rob and assault other men.
He denies the charges. The trial continues.
