A FATHER has been jailed for six years for killing a violent thug who robbed his son of his iPhone.

Derek Grant had pleaded guilty to the culpable homicide of Patrick Bradley, a serial offender described in court yesterday as "a man of violence".

Grant was blinded in one eye during the savage fight when Mr Bradley stabbed him through the left eyeball.

It emerged that the victim, who had a lengthy criminal record, had already been jailed for stabbing someone through the eye.

After sentence was passed at The High Court in Livingston yesterday, a member of Grant's family branded the outcome "a farce".

Grant, 38, and three of his sons were original charged with murder after Mr Bradley robbed his 19-year-old son Jordan - a politics student - at knifepoint.

The Grants used the 'Find My iPhone' app on August 30 last year to locate the stolen mobile.

Grant then left his home in the town's Wellington Street with Jordan and his two younger sons Lee, 17, and 16-year-old Jamie.

The dad-of-three had armed himself with a knife to confront Mr Bradley.

When they spotted the robber, who was not known to them, Derek Grant ordered him to hand back the stolen phone.

Mr Bradley, 29, reacted by plunging a knife through Grant's left eye, blinding him.

Severely injured, Grant stabbed Mr Bradley five times.

Three of the blows caught Mr Bradley's chest, causing fatal injuries and he died in hospital later that day.

Passing sentence, Judge Lord Boyd said "All to often it's said in this court that people take a knife for protection. It's most unfortunate that it's an excuse we hear all to often when talking about tragedy."