A family has been torn apart by a bitter legal dispute over a house in Birmingham, a conflict that began after a life-changing £3.1 million prize win. Rose and Tony Doyle, who scooped a luxury Cornish home in an Omaze draw, sold the property and purchased a house for Mrs Doyle's unemployed son, only to later take him to court for unpaid rent.
From Raffle Win to Family Rift
In April 2024, Rose Doyle, a 74-year-old former school dinner lady, bought a winning £25 ticket in the Omaze Million Pound House Draw. The prize was a beachfront five-bedroom mansion in St Agnes, Cornwall, worth £3.1 million, plus a £100,000 cash sum. At the time, the grandmother-of-four said the windfall would transform her family's future, stating it was a "true miracle" that would stop them from struggling.
The couple later sold the Cornish retreat. Using the proceeds, they began investing in property in the West Midlands. In December last year, they paid £205,000 for a semi-detached house on a cul-de-sac on the outskirts of Birmingham. Rose's 51-year-old son, Brian Cassidy, moved in immediately with his partner, believing the property was a gift from his mother after a period of unstable accommodation.
A Gift or a Tenancy? The Core of the Dispute
According to papers filed at Birmingham County Court, the relationship soured rapidly. The Doyles now allege that Mr Cassidy owes them £4,800 in unpaid rent and are seeking possession of the house. They claim he paid £600 in January this year but then stopped all payments.
In a starkly different defence, Mr Cassidy insists the house was given to him as a gift and that there was never any formal rental agreement. He described his stepfather, Tony Doyle, as a "very manipulative man" and claimed he was instructed to claim housing benefit and pay it to him.
The case was recently adjourned to allow the Doyles to respond to Mr Cassidy's claims. A final hearing is scheduled for February. District Judge Natalie Bradshaw noted the complexity of the allegations, suggesting it was unlikely to be resolved in one session.
Complicating Factors: A Prison Sentence and a Divorce
The courtroom battle is further complicated by the personal circumstances of Tony Doyle. The 67-year-old retired gas fitter is currently serving a six-year, three-month prison sentence imposed in October for ten sexual offences against young girls aged between seven and 12, committed over a 13-year period. Police also discovered 179 indecent images and 137 indecent videos upon his arrest. Judge Peter Carr told Doyle his victims would suffer the consequences far longer than his prison term.
Due to his incarceration, Doyle may appear at the property hearing via video link. A family friend present at court stated the property was in both spouses' names, hence his right to attend, and insisted it was "bought as a rental property."
In a significant personal development following the brief hearing, Rose Doyle confirmed she is now divorcing her husband of 47 years. This adds another layer of turmoil to a family already embroiled in a public legal fight over the home they once hoped would secure their future.
The Omaze platform, which raises money for charities through its prize draws, had facilitated a dream win that has ultimately descended into acrimony, leaving a Birmingham house at the centre of a fractured family's dispute.
