A man has been found guilty of murdering his wife at her home and leaving their children to discover the body.

Erhan Havaleoglu was convicted on Thursday at the High Court in Paisley of killing Leighanne Cameron by strangling and stabbing her at the house in Mid Calder, West Lothian, last year.

The 36-year-old stabbed Ms Cameron, 29, ten times in the neck and twice in the back after spending the day looking after their children on October 28, 2015.

He then fled the scene and left her dying on the floor of her home while their four-year-old daughter, Erin, and 18-month-old son, Jamie, were sleeping upstairs.

Havaleoglu then drove to Edinburgh via a back road where police believe he ditched the murder weapon and clothes he was wearing - which have never been found.

A spec of her blood was found on his shoes and some was found on the front door of his flat - where she had never been.

Havaleoglu appeared in the dock last week to give evidence and told the jury his wife was in fact the aggressor on the night she was murdered.

He told the court on Friday: "I'd basically had an argument with my wife - basically she battered me."

The 36-year-old had split up with Ms Cameron, 29, in May 2015 and moved out of the home they shared with their two children.

On the night she died he was at her house as he had been watching the children while she was at work.

Havaleoglu told the court that once Ms Cameron got back from work they began arguing about their four-year-old daughter's behaviour.

The former Turkish Army soldier claimed she became "really, really aggressive", adding: "She hit me on my testicles with her knee, I was trying to go backwards and I tripped on a door stop."

The jury did not believe his account and convicted him by majority on Thursday after two days of deliberations.

More than a dozen friends and family of the victim were in court to hear the verdict with some punching the air and shouting "yes". Others broke down in tears.

Temporary Judge Johanna Johnston QC told the killer: "You have been convicted by a jury of murder - the most serious crime under our law.

"This was a brutal and sustained attack, during which you inflicted the most savage injuries to the deceased.

"You left her dying in her own home with her children asleep upstairs. "Had it not been for Mr Kilkenny attending at the house, which was unknown to you, the children could have discovered the ghastly scene of their mothers' murder.

"You have left a family devastated by the loss of a much loved mother, daughter and sister and you have robbed a young woman of her future with her family.

"There is only one punishment for murder and that is life in prison."

Detective chief inspector Raymond Brown, of Police Scotland's Major Investigation Team, said: "Leighanne's death has been absolutely devastating for her family and those close to her.

"Her five-year-old daughter and two-year-old son have been robbed of their loving mum in the most horrific of circumstances.

"Havaleoglu has callously refused to admit responsibility for Leighanne's murder ever since, despite extensive evidence against him, and we welcome today's decision.

"Unfortunately, nothing can undo his actions that day but hopefully this verdict brings some sense of closure to all who knew and loved Leighanne."