A couple who won a multi-million pound home in a prize draw are now locked in a bitter legal fight to evict their own son from a property they bought with their winnings, a case overshadowed by the husband's imprisonment for serious child sex crimes.
From Windfall to Courtroom Battle
Rose and Tony Doyle, aged 74 and 67 respectively, saw their fortunes change in April 2024 when Mrs Doyle's Omaze ticket won them a plush £3.1 million property in Cornwall. The former school dinner lady said the win would transform her family's life. Using part of their windfall, they purchased a £205,000 semi-detached house on a cul-de-sac on the outskirts of Birmingham for their son, Brian Cassidy, 51, and his partner to live in.
Mr Cassidy, who had experienced unstable housing, said the move offered vital stability. However, the arrangement has dramatically broken down. Documents filed at Birmingham County Court allege that Mr Cassidy owes his parents £4,800 in unpaid rent, having only made a single payment of £600 in January. The Doyles are now seeking repossession of the home.
A Disputed Gift and a Complicated Divorce
The heart of the dispute lies in the nature of the property transfer. Mr Cassidy contends the house was a gift from his mother, with no formal rental agreement in place. The Doyles, supported by a family friend, insist it was always intended as a rental investment. "It wasn't a gift. It was bought as a rental property," the friend stated.
Complicating the proceedings further is the fact that Rose Doyle is divorcing her husband of 47 years, and the Birmingham property is in both their names. This entitles Tony Doyle, despite his circumstances, to be part of the court hearing. Mr Cassidy has also alleged his stepfather is "a very manipulative man" who instructed him to claim housing benefit and pay it to him.
A Shadow Over the Case: Criminal Conviction
The eviction battle is set against a grim backdrop. Tony Doyle is currently serving a prison sentence of six years and three months. In the months following the Omaze win, the ex-gas fitter was convicted of child sex offences against several girls aged between seven and 12, committed over a 13-year period.
When apprehended in April 2025, police found 179 indecent images and 137 indecent videos. Sentencing him, Judge Peter Carr said Doyle's victims would "have to live with the effects of what you have done to them for far longer than this court will be able to sentence you to."
The court case was adjourned to allow the Doyles to respond to Mr Cassidy's claims. A final hearing is scheduled for February 2026, though Doyle's incarceration adds a layer of complexity to the legal process. What began as a family's dream of financial security has descended into a tangled web of legal conflict and personal tragedy.
