Gasps were heard from the public benches as the verdict was announced, although Melvin showed little reaction.

His mother Dawn Reid, sitting in the public benches with her sister, Elaine Stirling, cried as her son was led away to the cells.

The defence had sought a reduced verdict of culpable homicide, claiming Melvin had not intended to kill Robert Smith, of Blackness Road.

Melvin had denied that on May 7, in Brook Street, Dundee, he murdered Mr Smith, knocking him to the ground and repeatedly stamping and kicking him on the head and neck.

Advocate Depute Peter Hammond, moving for sentence, handed Lord Hardie a list of previous convictions that included a firearms offence and an assault to injury conviction from November last year for which Melvin was on probation at the time of Mr Smith’s murder.

He told the court Melvin had appeared on petition before a sheriff in May in connection with the incident and has been remanded in custody ever since.

Lord Hardie told Melvin, “You will be aware there is only one sentence for the crime of murder, however I am required to obtain reports.”

He told the teenager he was ordering social inquiry reports and deferred sentence to the High Court in Glasgow on January 9.

During the five-day trial, the court heard how Melvin, who was 17 at the time, had been drinking in a Perth Road pub with his father, Frank, and his uncle.

He had consumed around eight pints of lager and set off for a friend’s house in Douglas.

For various reasons, the court heard, he failed to meet up with his friend and caught a taxi back into town.

It was a decision that ultimately led to a tragic conclusion for Robert Smith, walking home from a night out.

Melvin then walked up towards his aunt’s house in Polepark Road, where his mother and sister were living while their flat in Douglas was being treated for damp, with the intention of spending the night there.

In Brook Street, he met up with Mr Smith, who was subjected to a terrible assault, being stamped on five or more times by Melvin, who then ran off leaving his dying victim lying in the street.

Mr Smith died at the scene from his injuries, which included damage to his brain, a fractured skull, fractured nose, cheekbones and jawbone.

Melvin initially claimed to police that he had elbowed Mr Smith once after he came towards him in an aggressive manner, then ran away, scared Mr Smith would come after him.

However, forensic scientists found footprints on the victim’s face that matched the pattern on the sole of Melvin’s trainers.

Melvin then admitted in court he had now remembered stamping on his victim, saying he must have “blacked out” at the time and couldn’t remember doing it in the immediate aftermath of the incident.

The victim’s brothers, David and Thomas Smith, declined to comment.