Pensioner who murdered man he feared was paedophile will spend rest of life in jail

The High Court in Glasgow heard that former soldier Cassidy used techniques he was taught by special forces in the 1980s to infiltrate terrorist cells to befriend Mr Farish, whom he had never met until the day he killed him.

Judge Lord Summers told Cassidy: “This murder was a particularly brutal one involving 14 knife wounds.”

The court heard the fatal wound went through Mr Farish’s heart and he died in minutes.

Defence QC Brian McConnachie said it was likely Cassidy would die in prison and added: “Since being in custody he has suffered a heart attack and a stroke.

“He had never been in trouble in his life before this incident. He lived a fulfilling life until what he describes as a moment of madness.”

Cassidy phoned the police and confessed what he had done. But before doing so he disposed of his bloodstained clothes and the knife, which has never been found, and tidied up the crime scene.

He never denied killing Mr Farish, but claimed it was culpable homicide and not murder.

He told social workers who compiled a background report on him that he received training from special forces while he was serving in the Army in Northern Ireland in the 1980s. Cassidy said he was told how infiltrate terrorist cells and befriend them.

The killer had been told 75-year-old Mr Farish had abused a close friend of his when she was a child.

A jury heard how Cassidy flipped when Farish told him the police “could not prove anything” after he confronted him in February last year.

Cassidy went on to hand himself in, but said he did not want to be known as a “cold blooded killer”.

The first offender was convicted of murder following a trial at the High Court in Glasgow.

He had earlier offered a guilty plea to the reduced charge of culpable homicide.

The woman who accused Mr Farish of physically and sexually abusing her gave evidence during the trial.

The 43 year-old had been friends with Cassidy for a number of years and she confided in him what allegedly happened.She claimed she was regularly preyed upon starting when she was seven.

As well as the sexual accusations, it was alleged Mr Farish once broke his hand having hit her so hard.

The court heard police investigated in 2006, but no charges were brought.

The woman recalled how Cassidy had been “understanding” about how she had apparently suffered.

Last February, Cassidy then decided to confront Farish at his home.

Mr Farish was said to have told him: “The police could not prove anything to what happened to that b****.”

Cassidy went on to brutally murder Mr Farish, leaving him to bleed to death.

The woman who accused the victim later learned he had died, but did not initially think Cassidy was the culprit.

She told the jury: “All I could think of was that he had met his match this time.”

However, she recalled being “gobsmacked” when Cassidy confessed he was responsible.

The woman told prosecutor Angela Gray: “He was really sad. I think because I have never seen a side like that in him.

“I could not believe what he was saying...that he was able to take a life. It was not his nature.”

She later drove Cassidy to the local police station where he handed himself in.

He went on to send a string of letters to the woman from prison while on remand.

In one, he said there must have been a lot of “hatred and anger” in him to do what he did.

He added it was Farish’s apparently “cocky” comment which made him lose control.

Cassidy said Farish’s remark was like an “admittance of guilt”.

The woman said she does not intend to speak to Cassidy in the future.

Cassidy showed no emotion as he was led away to begin his sentence.