A FATHER killed the man who robbed his son of his iPhone.

Derek Grant's son Jordan - a politics student - was held up at knifepoint by Patrick Bradley as he made his way home last August.

The 20-year-old and his father later found Bradley after tracing the phone using a mobile app.

Grant demanded the handset from Bradley - who then blinded the father-of-four by stabbing him in the eye.

However, a badly-hurt Grant retaliated by stabbing the 29-year-old several times and fatally injuring him.

It led to the 38-year-old being charged, and yesterday at the High Court in Glasgow he admitted to the culpable homicide of Bradley.

A judge heard how Grant had only reacted after being subjected to "extreme violence" and that the incident was a tragedy for his "high-achieving" family.

Grant was remanded in custody and will learn his fate next month.

The court heard how Jordan Grant had been returning to his home in Greenock late on August 30 last year when he was confronted by knife-wielding Bradley.

Bradley - who had a significant record for violence - ordered the frightened McDonald's worker to hand over his iPhone.

Jordan went home and told his father about the theft. His father used the Find My iPhone app and found the mobile was still close by.

Grant then left his home in Wellington Street with Jordan and his two younger sons Lee, 17, and 16-year-old Jamie.

They spotted Bradley - who was not known to them - and Grant ordered him to hand back the stolen phone.

But Bradley instead lashed out at Grant and knifed him in the left eye. His frantic son Jordan screamed for help.

But his father then repeatedly struck out at Bradley with a knife he had taken from home, having feared for his safety before leaving.

Bradley suffered a cardiac arrest and later died.

Grant was arrested and he later said: "I wish to declare for the record that at the time of this incident, I was acting in self-defence."

Grant had faced a murder charge before prosecutors yesterday accepted his guilty plea to the reduced charge of culpable homicide.

His three sons were also accused of murder, but their not guilty pleas were also accepted.

Advocate depute Douglas Fairley QC said it was agreed Grant had suffered a "significant" degree of provocation.

Grant's lawyer told the court he only lashed out as a "reaction to the extreme violence" he faced.

Ian Duguid, defending, added what happened had been a "tragedy" and "catastrophic" for a family that was law-abiding.

The court was told Jordan Grant was a university politics student, another son had hopes of being a footballer while a third was doing well at school.

Mr Duguid went on: "It may become evident this is a family of high achievement."

The QC also said Grant had been forced to give up his job as a driver because he had lost the sight in his eye.

Lord Boyd remanded Grant in custody and deferred sentencing until September 1 at the High Court in Livingston.