Son attacked dad over money missing from baby’s card

A Fife man attacked his estranged father, who was suspected to have stolen money from a baby’s card.

Gary Rowley senior was violently assaulted after £40 went missing during a visit to see his new grandchild.

Gary Rowley junior (26) took the law into his own hands, punching his dad, knocking him over and as he fell, he broke his ankle, leaving the bone protruding through the skin.

Rowley junior, of McGinlay Terrace, Lochore, appeared for sentencing at Dunfermline Sheriff Court.

He previously admitted that on 8th September last year at Martin Crescent, Ballingry, he assaulted Gary Rowley senior, punched him on the face, knocking him to the ground and repeatedly punched and kicked him on the body, all to his severe injury.

Depute fiscal Dev Kapadia said, “The complainer is the accused’s father but they do not see each other regularly. There was more contact last September around the time the accused was about to become a father.

“Mr Rowley senior went to see the child who was then five days old. He went into the kitchen and had a cup of tea before leaving. The accused was not present when he was there.

“The partner of the accused then discovered that some money was missing from the kitchen and formed the view that the complainer was responsible for the theft. She told the accused what had happened.

“At 2pm that day the accused approached his father and punched him on the left side of his face. Mr Rowley senior fell to the ground and the accused began to kick him on the legs and body whilst shouting, ‘You rat, you shouldn’t be in my family.’

“The assault was witnessed by a neighbour who saw the accused leaning over his father and punching him when he was on the ground.”

The police were called and they found Mr Rowley sitting on an embankment with a broken ankle.

“The officers could clearly see the ankle was broken because the bone was protruding through the skin,” said Mr Kapadia.

“The accused later explained that while Gary Rowley was his father, he was brought up by his grandparents and he had no relationship with his father.

“He said his father drinks and takes drugs and so thought presumably that’s what the theft was for. He said the £40 stolen was for his partner and the child.”

Defence solicitor Alexander Flett said, “The father is well known to these courts and his son is not.

“His father is not welcome but Mr Rowley junior was out of the house having gone to register the child’s birth.

“Mr Rowley turned up and was only allowed in because a midwife was there and they did not want a scene.”

After his client heard the money was missing “he saw red and very much regrets what has taken place,” added the solicitor.

Sheriff Charles MacNair said, “It’s perfectly understandable that you were annoyed, to put it mildly, with your father’s behaviour, which seems to be in character for him.

“That is not an excuse for an assault and the injury caused was very significant.”

He imposed an eight-month restriction of liberty order on Mr Rowley junior.