Teenager jailed for egg row death

Sharp stabbed Viaceslav Tomasevic twice in the chest

A teenager has been jailed for nine years for stabbing a father to death in a row over thrown eggs.

Alexander Sharp, 17, killed 35-year-old Lithuanian Viaceslav Tomasevic after he complained about eggs being thrown at the window of his home in Bo'ness.

Mr Tomasevic was celebrating his three-month-old daughter's christening when he became involved in an argument with party-goers at his neighbour's house.

Sharp, from Bathgate, denied murder. He was found guilty of culpable homicide.

The High Court at Glasgow heard the teenager was at a party at Mr Tomasevic's next-door neighbour's house on 31 January, 2009.

It had been thrown by Michael Taylor, 18, who told the court he had invited about 30 teenagers round because his mother was out.

When the Lithuanian, known as Slava, came to complain about the eggs, Sharp got a knife and stabbed him twice in the chest.

Viaceslav Tomasevic was celebrating his baby daughter's Christening

One of the blows pierced the victim's heart and the second damaged his liver and intestines, the court was told.

He then swung the knife at one of Slava's friends, Michael Chracs, but missed.

Sharp was also convicted by the jury of assaulting Mr Chracs by attempting to strike him on the body.

As Mr Tomasevic lay dying in the garden the partygoers ran from the house and Sharp handed the knife, which was still covered in blood, to Mr Taylor who hid it in nearby woods.

Sentencing Sharp, judge Lord Brailsford told him he had intervened in the argument "without any reason" while "grossly under the influence of alcohol".

He said: "You went into the kitchen, picked up a fairly large knife and stabbed Mr Tomasevic twice. That was clearly a very serious matter resulting in the death of Mr Tomasevic.

'Doting dad'

"You have had a difficult upbringing but you are described as polite, articulate, intelligent and likeable and there must be some hope you may become a decent member of society when you are released."

Lord Brailsford told Sharp he would have jailed him for 12 years but for the fact he had pleaded guilty to culpable homicide at an early stage.

Mr Tomasevic's widow 26-year-old Zuzana , who married him just a month before he was murdered, was not in court to hear Sharp sentenced.

Matasovska is back home in Slovakia, but said she still wanted to return to Scotland to live here with her daughter, Emma.

She added: "When we met it was a case of love at first sight. We had each other and Emma and everything was perfect. Slava was a doting dad he called Emma his little angel. He was very proud of her.

"I talk to her all the time about her dad and she kisses his photograph."