A Sutherland-based baronet who grabbed his 95-year-old mother by the arms and threw her to the floor while he was under investigation over his handling of her finances was fined almost £1,200.
Sir Gavin Gilbey, 68, from Dornoch and a member of the famous gin dynasty, was fined after being found guilty of assaulting Lady Elizabeth Gilbey.
He was also banned from seeing her for a month and is only allowed supervised contact after that.
Chair of magistrates Lesley Overington said: “In a moment of frustration or anger, he intentionally assaulted her by grabbing her arms, pulling her out of the chair and flung her to the floor causing her to fall forwards.”
The magistrates also found Sir Gavin snapped his mother’s walking stick.
Mrs Overington said it had been a very sad case to hear and said Lady Gilbey was “a credible witness”.
She added: “There was no reasonable explanation for her going to neighbour for help without her walking stick and hearing aid to seek help when her son was in the house.”
The magistrates said Lady Elizabeth’s GP confirmed the bruising on her chest was consistent with her account.
Sir Gavin assaulted his mother at her home in Bury, Pulborough, last year while he was under investigation over the management of her finances.
On Friday, Lady Elizabeth told the Sussex court via a video link she had been attacked by her son following an argument earlier in the day.
Yesterday, the court was played a recording of a 999 call made by Sir Gavin on August 26.
Amanda Burrows for the CPS claimed he made the call to “cover his tracks”.
In the call, Sir Gavin told the 999 operator: “I’m calling about some serious concerns I have about my mother. In the last few days her behaviour is so out of character.
“She’s gone down to my neighbour telling them wild stories that I’ve hurt her. I’ve not touched her. “I’ve no idea what she’s talking about.”
John Blandford, defending Sir Gavin, denied he was the heir to a gin fortune and said his only wealth was his name and reputation. He said the case was “a plan” by Sir Gavin’s sister Lady Camilla Frederick to get him “out of the picture”.
He added: “You might think this case is like something from a Rosamunde Pilcher novel. A feuding aristocratic family, arguing over the estate of the dowager mother.”
Sir Gavin was fined £339, ordered to pay £625 costs, a victim surcharge of £33 and compensation to his mother of £200.
Despite being cleared in the financial investigation by the Office of the Public Guardian, Lady Gilbey decided to remove the power of attorney from Sir Gavin.
Speaking after the verdict, Sir Gavin said he would appeal, adding: “It saddens me greatly that my mother has been brought to court.”