Tony Grimes, 43, had been involved in an altercation with Patricia Irvine outside her home in Parkhead, Glasgow on May 12, 2024.
Jurors heard Grimes had blamed the mum’s son Jordan Wilson, 25, for the timepiece going missing, sparking a series of threats and assaults by him.
Patricia, 53, ended up suffering an aneurysm following the incident and sadly passed away two days later.
Grimes is now behind bars after he was convicted of culpable homicide this week following a trial at the High Court in Glasgow.
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He will be sentenced next month.
The court heard how Grimes and Jordan Wilson knew each other.
The killer went on to accuse the young man of taking a watch from him.
It had been a gift for Grimes’s first Father’s Day. Jordan strenuously denied being responsible.
But jurors were told how Grimes went on to target both Jordan and his family.
There were threats, including on social media and also him coming to their door.
In a police interview, Jordan said he was left “frightened” and “intimidated”.
He claimed he was left too scared to walk the streets and would get a taxi most places.
Jordan recalled one occasion in his own close where Grimes grabbed him and displayed “superhuman strength”.
He stated to the officers: “What a psycho. He was gnawing at my ears. He was like a Rottweiler.
“He was like ‘you better get the watch, you better get the cash out’.”
Grimes was also accused of chucking a coin at a cab Jordan had been in.
Jordan said at one stage: “Why do guys wake up and bully folk half their age?”
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Jurors went on to see CCTV footage of the thug then attacking Jordan in a local East End shop.
Grimes pleaded guilty to this charge.
Jordan also gave evidence from behind screens during the trial.
In court, the witness said: “He was trying to uppercut me. He was just threatening me, telling me not to go to the police or I would get it basically.”
Recalling the night of the fatal incident, Jordan and his mum had been outside their home when they became aware of a drink can being hurled at them and exploding.
Grimes was also said to have made a threat to “petrol bomb” the property.
Jordan went back inside to take his dog back into their flat.
It was soon after there was an altercation between Grimes and Patricia, including him running at her. A woman known to the thug was also there.
Patricia fell to the ground and hit her head. She died in Glasgow Royal Infirmary on May 14, 2024.
In cross-examination, Jordan refuted a suggestion by Brian McCconnachie KC, defending, that it was he and his mum who sparked a confrontation that evening.
He also insisted Patricia did not punch the thug.
Jordan – who told police he was a “die-hard” Rangers supporter – further denied previously making sectarian remarks to Celtic fan Grimes, insisting it was the killer who instead was guilty of that.
After the verdict, it emerged Grimes, now of the city’s Tollcross, had a lengthy list of convictions including for weapons, police assault, religiously aggravated breach of the peace and other violence.
Mr McConnachie moved for bail to be continued while also stating the case was “extremely tragic, but it is, in many respects, extraordinarily unusual”.
However, Lord Mulholland told Grimes: “You have been convicted of culpable homicide and, by a plea of guilty, of a horrific, unprovoked assault. I saw the footage.
“You have a criminal record that does you no favours. I am refusing you bail.”
The case was deferred until next month for reports.