A man cut the throat of a grieving widower and told him: "I'll put you with your wife".

Edward McGregor sliced an 8cm wound into his friend Scott Baxter's throat, leaving him seriously injured and permanently scarred.

The 50-year-old was initially charged with attempted murder but pled guilty to a lesser charge of assault to severe injury and permanent disfigurement.

On the day of the attack Mr Baxter had scattered the ashes of his wife, who died eight weeks earlier.

He was drinking at McGregor's home, at Pitalpin Court in Dundee, when McGregor threatened to "put you with your wife" and "slit your throat".

Mr Baxter replied: "Go on then, put me out of my misery. I'll be happy then", the High Court in Edinburgh was told.

McGregor retrieved a kitchen knife from his kitchen and drew it against his friend's throat, leaving Mr Baxter bleeding and making gurgling noises.

A specialist ear, nose and throat doctor at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee said the knife had cut through skin and fatty tissue but had missed major blood vessels.

When police arrived at the house, McGregor told them: "It was me that slashed him. He asked for it cause he just buried his wife today."

He later told them: "I just thought if I gie him a wee sort of cut it would make him see sense.

"There was no intention to try and kill him and it was only to give him a little fleg."

The judge, Lord Bannatyne, deferred sentence for background reports and remanded McGregor in custody.