A Fife killer who calmly ate a bowl of cereal after inflicting a fatal wound on a “kind and generous” man in his home has been jailed for 10 years.
Jason Mooney, with Lynn Kelly, took 38-year-old Christopher Cowie’s life following a confrontation at his property in Golfdrum Street, Dunfermline, on October 15 2019.
The High Court in Edinburgh heard how the 35-year-old mother of one smashed a mirror over Mr Cowie’s head.
Mooney, 28, then grabbed a triangular piece of glass and then stabbed it into Mr Cowie’s knee, causing him to bleed to death.
A jury heard how the pair did not get help for Mr Cowie, who witnesses say spent his final moments pleading for help.
Instead, Mooney went into Mr Cowie’s kitchen and had breakfast.
Stole from dying victim
At earlier proceedings, jurors convicted Mooney and Kelly, of Dunfermline of culpable homicide.
On Wednesday, Lord Beckett told the pair the only sentence available was custody.
Jailing Kelly for four years and six months, he said: “I must take account of information from Mr Cowie’s family.
“It is clear that he was a kind and generous man.
“You killed him and his family have lost forever a man they loved deeply.
“The extent of their loss and suffering is made clear in his mother’s statement.
“None of this would have happened if you were not addicted to drugs – it is not mitigating that you were intoxicated when you killed Mr Cowie.
“Instead of calling 999 for an ambulance as any reasonable person would have done, you Mr Mooney helped yourself to food from Mr Cowie’s kitchen and you busied yourself stealing from a dying man’s home, thinking only about buying more drugs and evading responsibility for your actions.
“Nor do I view your inept first aid performance to be particularly mitigating Mr Mooney because it was bound up you preventing anyone else calling 999.
“You also used intimidation to prevent any medical help from being sought.
“If you had any real concern for Mr Cowie you would have immediately called for an ambulance which might have saved his life.
“But you chose not to as you knew you would be held accountable.”
‘I’m going to smash you’
The court heard how the pair had been at Mr Cowie’s home earlier in the evening.
Kelly and another woman were trying to buy drugs from another man but did not have enough cash.
Kelly contacted Mr Cowie because she thought he would lend her money.
At the close of the trial, the Crown stated Mooney had Christopher Cowie in a headlock and deliberately punched and stabbed him with the glass in the left thigh.
The court heard in the moments before being stabbed, Mr Cowie accused Mooney of stealing his phone and Mooney admitted putting it in his pocket.
Mr Cowie asked him to leave, the men got into a struggle and Kelly stepped in and was caught by a punch.
Mooney started going “mental” and said: “I’m going to smash you”.
Witnesses saw him holding a Stanley knife towards Mr Cowie.
Kelly picked up a mirror and hit Mr Cowie over the head with it. The mirror smashed.
Mooney then struck him with a lamp. Mooney put him in a headlock and Kelly punched him.
Maintains innocence
Witnesses then saw a pool of blood on the floor. Mr Cowie then pleaded for help but neither Mooney and Kelly phoned for an ambulance.
Instead, they took items from his home – these included an Xbox games console, a laptop, a Kindle tablet, a hoover, watches, a holdall and bank cards.
Mooney later told police he and Kelly had taken drugs on their way to the house.
Mooney claimed he did not stab Mr Cowie and said the wound to his leg must have been accidental.
The stab wound to Mr Cowie damaged a major artery and vein.
On Wednesday, advocate John Scott QC told the court his client Mooney maintained he was innocent of any wrongdoing.
Police slam lack of remorse
Detective Inspector Paul Dick, Senior Investigating Officer from Dunfermline Police Station said: “My thoughts continue to be with Mr Cowie’s family and friends who have shown considerable strength over the past 19 months.
“Mooney and Kelly have always failed to admit that their actions, and the level of violence used, cost Mr Cowie his life.
“He spent his final moments pleading for help, but the pair decided to leave him alone to suffer.
“This was a particularly difficult crime to investigate. I would like to thank the witnesses and those who assisted police enquiries and understand that the effects of such violent events are felt by whole communities.
“Violent crime has no place in society and we continue to work hard to bring offenders to account for their crimes.”
