A 26-YEAR-OLD father-of-three was today warned he was facing life imprisonment for viciously stabbing his cousin to death in a drunken argument in Brierley Hill.

Glen Elvin stormed out of the dock at Wolverhampton Crown Court as the foreman of the jury announced their unanimous guilty verdict on a charge of murder.

Elvin had denied killing 28-year-old Christopher Harm, with the five-man seven-woman panel considering the evidence at the end of his trial for three hours.

Judge James Burbidge QC said there was only one sentence that could be passed for murder - and that was life imprisonment.

But he said issues in the case had to be determined before it could be finalised and he had to decide just how long Elvin would have to spend behind bars for the brutal crime.

The judge was expected to pass sentence today (Wednesday) on Elvin who was heard shouting and swearing as he was taken back to his holding cell before his return to prison.

The trial was told Elvin lost his temper and chased after Mr Harm with the knife before striking him a powerful single blow that pierced his heart.

He was clearly the aggressor, stressed Michael Duck QC prosecuting, and he made the decision to stab his cousin who was backing off because he did not want to get involved in any trouble.

Mr Duck said Elvin had targeted his cousin in an incident captured on CCTV as the two men moved into Engine Lane after a drinking session at The Waterfront.

The jury was told the blow was struck with force as Mr Harm asked the angry Elvin: "What are you doing? We are family."

The pair had travelled to Brierley Hill from the North East with two colleagues to put up posters for a circus.

In evidence Elvin wept as he maintained the stabbing had been accident and it had never been his intention to kill his cousin.

He said they got into a number of fights as they were growing up, adding: "This was a drunken fight that got out of control. I loved him and I will have to live with this for the rest of my life."

Elvin said he felt he was in for another beating at the hands of his cousin and she stressed he grabbed the knife from the van in which they all slept to get him to back off.

"He kept stepping back but the last time he did not move," said Elvin. "I hit him. I never intended to make contact. I stabbed him by accident."

Nicholas Lumley QC, defending, said he would not be calling for a pre-sentence report as he agreed only one sentence could be passed on Elvin - life imprisonment.