THE nephew of a man who was killed during a fight at a Halesowen house has pleaded guilty to assault during the violent confrontation which resulted in the fatal stabbing.

Father-of-one David Carpenter, aged 47, died after being stabbed in the chest by his ex-partner’s boyfriend, Ian Swinbourne, who claimed he was acting in self defence.

A murder charge against the 49-year-old, who was staying at the semi-detached house, was dropped after he said he used the knife to protect himself when Mr Carpenter and While, both from Oldbury, burst in on February 3.

The Crown Prosecution Service ruled there was insufficient evidence for a realistic prospect of conviction and also dropped a charge that he assaulted Mitchell While, causing him actual bodily harm.

When Mr Swinbourne appeared before Dudley Magistrates charged with murder, his solicitor Michael Davies successfully asked for reporting restictions to be lifted in order to appeal for witnesses.

He told the court Mr Carpenter and While had gone to the house in the normally quiet cul-de-sac with the purpose of “sorting out my client”.

Jobless Mitchell While, aged 29, of Bodenham Road, appeared at Wolverhampton Crown Court on Monday and admitted assualting Mr Swinbourne causing him actual bodily harm He will return to the court for sentencing on Monday October 28.