SpindriftA man who brutally attacked and robbed his cancer-stricken father in his own home has been jailed for seven years.
Gary Mooney flew into a rage after William Mooney, 80, asked his son to make him a cup of tea.
The horror ordeal included the 44-year-old punching, kicking, slapping and choking the frail grandad at the house in Motherwell, Lanarkshire last February 7.
Mooney then went to steal £40,000 in cash that William kept in his home, mainly as an inheritance for his grandchildren.
SpindriftMooney was sentenced at the High Court in Glasgow on Tuesday.
He had earlier admitted robbing and assaulting William to his severe injury and danger of his life.
Lord Arthurson described what Mooney did as a “truly despicable crime” which merited a “high-tariff custodial sentence”.
The term was cut from nine years due to his guilty plea.
‘You will not be able to see your son when you die’
The court heard how the grandad was in poor health and had a complicated medical history.
He needed daily carers, but Mooney had also been staying with him at the time to supposedly help look after his dad.
On the day of the assault, William had been in his living room when he asked Mooney to make him a cup of tea.
Prosecutor BJ Gill told the court: “Mooney came downstairs shouting and swearing – repeatedly calling his father an ‘old b*****d’.
“He was unhappy that he was asking him for help.”
Mooney turned on his dad and grabbed him by the throat.
Mr Gill said: “William could hardly breathe, went in and out of consciousness and thought he was going to die.”
Mooney continued the attack in the living room.
He told his dad: “I am going to gouge your f***ing eyes out. You will not be able to see your son when you die.”
Mooney went on to force William onto his back, slapped him and poured a bottle of Irn-Bru over his father.
He also punched him on the jaw, knelt heavily on his chest and then kicked him repeatedly in the ribs.
Mooney demanded to know where his dad kept his money.
Mr Gill said: “William had hidden a sum of approximately £37,000 as an inheritance for his grandchildren.
“The cash was in a bag for life inside a tartan holdall in the living room.
“He also had approximately £3,000 that he used for household bills.
“This was in wallets under his bed in the living room. Mooney found both sums and took them.”
Mooney later cancelled carer visits for his dad for the rest of that week.
But one still turned up to carry out a check. Mooney claimed William was “unwell”.
The son refused to let the carer in – she thought Mooney was “on edge” and shouted on William to try and find out how he was.
Mr Gill said: “She asked Mooney to let her in, but he refused. He became increasingly agitated and shouted, ‘Go away. I am going to get you sacked’.”
He ushered her from the house before he then abandoned his injured dad, who was still stricken on the floor.
Mooney locked the front door yelling back: “You are not leaving his f***ing house.”
But, William had a spare key and struggled to a neighbour for help.
The pensioner managed to state: “Gary set about me. He has got all my money. He has taken £40,000.”
Police were alerted – they initially could not find Mooney at his home.
They did, however, discover bundles of banknotes in the flat, including hidden in a plant pot.
Officers seized a total of £16,750 of the stolen cash. The rest has never been found.
In the early hours, Mooney stopped officers outside his tower block and said: “I hear you are looking for me.”
He admitted he did not “get on” with his dad and that he had an earlier “violent outburst”.
But, after being arrested, he kicked off with officers including shouting: “I hope he f***ing dies.”
William had been taken to hospital after the attack. He had a bleed on the brain, fractured back and ribs as well as bruising on his face and chest.
The court heard, however, that he never left the hospital.
He went on to develop pneumonia and other complications. William passed away on March 6, 2025.
It was then discovered during a post-mortem that the grandfather also had undiagnosed lung cancer, which had been at an advanced stage.
The cause of death was determined as cancer and pneumonia.
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