Gardener Convicted of Assault and Robbery of Elderly Man with Dementia
A gardener in Dundee has been found guilty of assaulting and robbing a 79-year-old man who has been diagnosed with dementia. The court heard that Max McCaskill, an odd-job gardener, claimed that the elderly man had offered him money in exchange for sexual favors. McCaskill asserted that he only pushed the man down and took the agreed-upon payment for his gardening work. However, the majority of jurors found him guilty of assault and robbery after hearing evidence that McCaskill had approached the elderly man outside his house, pushed his way inside, and taken a bowl full of pound coins. The victim’s police statement, as he was unable to give evidence due to his condition, was read aloud to the jurors by an officer.
McCaskill, who is currently an inmate at HMP Perth, told jurors that he had broken his ankle and was using crutches at the time of the incident. He claimed that he had been hired by the elderly man to pick weeds from his garden for £20. Contrary to McCaskill’s account, the neighbor of the victim stated that he heard the householder shout, I’m being robbed. The court also learned that McCaskill had a previous conviction for violence in 2005, resulting in a sentence of 100 hours of unpaid work.
During his trial, McCaskill’s solicitor revealed that his client had been struggling with drug addiction, which is now under control with the help of a daily prescription of a drug substitute. Despite McCaskill’s request for a custodial sentence, Sheriff Jillian Martin-Brown ordered reports to be prepared. She expressed concern about the severity of McCaskill’s latest offense, particularly due to the fact that the victim was vulnerable due to his age and dementia. McCaskill will be sentenced on October 20 once social workers have considered the need for post-release supervision. In the meantime, he remains on remand.
This incident is not the first time McCaskill has made headlines. Around 11 years ago, he spent two weeks in jail on charges that were later dropped. He had been accused of stealing games console controllers from a shop in Dundee, but he was over 100 miles away on the day of the alleged crime. McCaskill claimed that he had been arrested simply because he has red hair, and the police were looking for a suspect with similar hair in connection with the thefts.
This case highlights the vulnerability of elderly individuals, particularly those with dementia, and the need to protect them from potential harm. The court’s decision reflects the seriousness of McCaskill’s actions and sends a strong message that such crimes will not be tolerated. As McCaskill awaits his sentencing, it is essential to prioritize the safety of vulnerable members of society and ensure that appropriate measures are in place to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.
