The killer of a 20-year-old from West Bromwich has admitted to manslaughter after denying murder.

Christopher Szymanski, aged 21, of Beacon View Road in the town, was standing trial for the alleged murder of Thomas Coombs, pictured, last July but a new charge was put to him yesterday at Wolverhampton Crown Court.

The jury returned an automatic verdict of not guilty on the murder charge, after Szymanski instead pleaded guilty to manslaughter.

Father-of-two Szymanski is now expected to be sentenced next month and was warned by Judge John Wait he would face a “significant custodial sentence”.

Father-to-be Mr Coombs, also known as Thomas Duffield or ‘Duffy’, died at Sandwell Hospital of stab wounds on July 11.

Mr Coombs had taken the knife to the scene and threw the first punch in the brawl on the corner of Bustleholme Lane and Bustleholme Avenue.

Mr John Burrows, prosecuting, said: “It makes clear that the defendant realised that he had the knife in his hands having taken it from Thomas Coombs on provocation,” he said.

Mr David Crigman, QC, defending, said Szymanski was not normally a violent man but had been attacked by a man armed with a knife and had tried to stop the fight.