Steven McCall convicted of murdering Senga Closs in Uddingston
A man who denied fatally stabbing the partner he claimed he "loved to bits" has been convicted of her murder.
Steven McCall, 43, killed Senga Closs, 47, at their home in Uddingston, South Lanarkshire, on 4 or 5 April this year.
During his trial at the High Court in Glasgow, McCall denied killing his partner of seven years and blamed his best friend or someone unknown.
He was convicted after his sister told how he confessed to her. McCall faces a life term when sentenced next month.
The court heard that just days before Ms Closs was murdered by McCall she told her best friend June Grey that he spat in her dinner and tried to strangle her.
On the night of the murder the couple rowed and McCall stabbed his partner three times with a kitchen knife and then left her to die in the kitchen. The fatal blow pierced her heart.
Advocate depute Angela Gray, prosecuting, said: "He plunged the knife into her. Again and again and again.
"Senga's hands were cut as she tried in vain to defend herself from his murderous attack."
The court heard that McCall's shoes and trousers were stained with her blood.
When his sister Jacqueline McCall phoned him just after midnight he confessed to her that he had stabbed Senga with a screwdriver.
The court was told that McCall did not phone an ambulance or try to help Ms Closs until 22 minutes after admitting the stabbing to his sister.
During the trial McCall blamed his best friend Mark Hernon or someone unknown for the murder.
In evidence Mr Hernon denied killing Ms Closs and said he was not at the couple's house that night.
Defence QC Derek Ogg also suggested that the victim may have been killed in a robbery.
'I've done nothing wrong'
But Ms Gray told the jury: "If it was a robber he has left the telephone, handbag, money - all there in the kitchen."
In evidence McCall claimed that he found his partner lying dead or dying covered in blood and had nothing to do with her death.
He said: "I was her carer. I loved her to bits. I've not done a thing wrong, not a thing wrong. I know I am in the clear."
He said he could not remember saying to his sister that he had stabbed Ms Closs.
McCall told police who arrived on the scene: "I can only thing I can think is she's let someone in the house and it has all went wrong."
The jury did not believe him and convicted McCall of murder.
He will be given a mandatory life term and will learn in January how long he must serve before being eligible to apply for parole.