A teenager faces jail after killing his mother's lover in a furious row sparked by a pea-shooter.

Liam Ransom, 18, stabbed Scott Wadman, 24, who allegedly became violent when he was hit by a piece of paper fired at him.

Trouble flared at the home in Gibbon Road, Newhaven, the pair shared with Ransom's mother, Deena McCormack, a dominatrix who enjoyed an on-off relationship with Mr Wadman.

Constance Briscoe, prosecuting, told Lewes Crown Court: "Miss McCormack worked as a dominatrix. She was a mistress.

"This was a matter which had caused some arguments between her and Scott Wadman and the relationship between them was described as on-off."

One evening in September last year, Miss McCormack and a friend visited a nightclub while her son and partner went for a drink together.

Mr Wadman then met up with his lover and the two caught a cab home. Ransom had returned earlier.

Miss Briscoe said five minutes later neighbours heard Mr Wadman shouting outside and the sound of a car window smashing.

Ransom then appeared in the doorway and Mr Wadman walked towards him shouting abuse.

Miss Briscoe said a witness heard a female screaming "He's bleeding" before Mr Wadman was seen staggering into the road holding his face and chest.

Ransom's mother desperately tried to give him the kiss of life but he died as a result of two knife wounds, one of which had penetrated his heart.

Ransom, aged just 17 at the time, was later arrested on suspicion of murder.

Miss Briscoe said: "He said the deceased and his mother had returned from a nightclub and the defendant had been messing around with a pea shooter and a piece of paper had hit the deceased on the head.

"The deceased had grabbed him and had been pushing him violently and when his mother saw the marks on his neck she told the deceased to leave. This he had done after punching the defendant in the head.

"When the deceased got outside he began smashing up the mother's car and then he returned in the house shouting at the defendant's mother."

Ransom told police Mr Wadman picked up a knife from a windowsill and threatened to kill his mother.

He tried to grab the knife but slipped on blood dripping from Mr Wadman's hand and Mr Wadman also fell and stabbed himself as he went down.

Ransom was due to stand trial for murder yesterday but the prosecution accepted a guilty plea to manslaughter.

Mr Justice Aikens adjourned sentencing until July and granted Ransom conditional bail.

He warned: "All sentencing options are open and by that I mean all."