Worker murdered after store row

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Police were called to the supermarket in the early hours

A supermarket worker faces a life sentence after he admitted murdering a fellow nightshift worker over a "fall-out" at a Sainsbury's store.

Robert McCulloch, 35, stabbed Roman Romasov, 28, to death following arguments about working properly.

The fight happened at the store on Berryden Road, Aberdeen, in April.

The victim's mother told BBC Scotland that McCulloch was at "the bottom of our species". Sentence was deferred at the High Court in Edinburgh.

The 28-year-old victim was a Lithuanian national who had moved to Aberdeen to study and work.

This was a very aggressive individual, a very evil one. He chased him and stabbed him many many times, he deserves to be in prison for life Jelena Vaikuviene Victim's mother

A manager rugby-tackled McCulloch in a bid to stop him during the attack, but he managed to free his hands and repeatedly knifed Mr Romasov.

When police called to the scene initially charged McCulloch with attempted murder, he replied: "What, you mean I didn't do [it] properly?"

Mr Romasov died despite efforts to resuscitate him following the knife attack.

Advocate depute Alex Prentice QC said the victim had come to Britain in 2004 and moved to Aberdeen three years later.

As well as working as a shelf stacker he was also studying mechanical engineering.

The prosecutor said he was described as "a very private person" who did not socialise, but was a hard worker

Robert McCulloch (left) stabbed Roman Romasov to death

He said: "It seems that the argument started because the deceased, while working, dropped crates onto the floor and the accused did not like the way in which the deceased was going about his work."

On the night of the attack there was "an atmosphere" between the two which some staff described as "petty" and "childish".

McCulloch was disarmed by staff and appeared to be laughing when he was being held on the ground, said Mr Prentice.

Police and paramedics were called and McCulloch told a witness: "I got Roman before he got me."

He said he told Mr Romasov to do his job properly, and that he then started "slagging off" Scottish people.

"I told him he shouldn't be here and he told me I was racist and whatever else," said McCulloch.

'Love and hate'

He told police that they argued again after Mr Romasov deliberately sat beside him at a tea break.

McCulloch went to the toilet and claimed Mr Romasov grabbed him and said he would kill him if he lost his job.

He went on to tell detectives: "After that I told a couple of people about it. I was just off my head and I was looking at the knives and I went and done it.

"I ran up to him and I told him he was finished and I stabbed him.

"He turned and tried to get away and I done it a few times. People were trying to stop me."

Defence counsel Jack Davidson QC said the murderer wished to express his "remorse and regret" over the death.

Police were called to the supermarket in the early hours

Lord Brodie told McCulloch that there was only one sentence he could impose, but deferred sentence for a background report in order to fix the minimum period McCulloch must serve in jail. He remanded him in custody.

The victim's mother, Jelena Vaikuviene, told BBC Scotland after the case through an interpreter: "This was a very aggressive individual, a very evil one.

"He chased him and stabbed him many, many times. He deserves to be in prison for life.

"We have love and hate, he does not deserve to be hated, he is at the bottom of our species."

Grampian Police Det Insp Martin Dunn said: "Mr McCulloch has taken the life of Roman Romasov in a hateful and violent manner in full view of a number of their close working colleagues who are still traumatised by what they saw.

"Roman Romasov was a hard working individual who had come to Aberdeen, not only to further his education, but also to gain employment and provide a better lifestyle for himself and his family in Lithuania.

"Tragically, his life was cut short by Robert McCulloch for no apparent reason."

He added: "Only Robert McCulloch will know why he carried out this despicable crime."