Richard Cassidy, 79, who was convicted of murdering fellow pensioner David Farish in 2016, has died in prison. Cassidy passed away on June 26 at HMP Shotts in North Lanarkshire, Scotland.
Cassidy was sentenced to 17 years in prison in 2017 after being found guilty of stabbing Mr. Farish 14 times at his home in the Scottish Borders. The attack occurred in February 2016 after Cassidy became convinced that Mr. Farish had sexually abused a woman he knew. The victim was 75 years old.
According to reports, Cassidy had learned that Mr. Farish had allegedly abused a close friend of Cassidy’s when she was a child. When confronted by Cassidy, Mr. Farish reportedly stated that police could not prove anything regarding the allegations. The court heard that police had investigated a similar claim in 2006, but no charges were filed.
Cassidy, who had no prior criminal record, claimed the killing was a case of culpable homicide rather than murder. He admitted to the stabbing, stating it was a "moment of madness." Before calling the police to confess, Cassidy disposed of his bloodstained clothing and the knife used in the attack, which has never been recovered. He also reportedly tidied the crime scene.
During his trial, Cassidy's defense counsel, Brian McConnachie, noted that Cassidy had lived a fulfilling life until the incident and suggested he would likely die in prison. Cassidy had suffered a heart attack and a stroke while in custody prior to his trial.
Detective Inspector David Pinkney described the crime as a "heinous murder of a frail, elderly man in his own home," and Judge Lord Summers characterized the murder as "a particularly brutal one."