Men jailed for armed raid on elderly couple's Motherwell home

Two masked thugs armed with hammers and knives who forced their way into a house and tried to rob a couple were yesterday jailed for a total of more than eight years.

33 year-old Steven Connor from Wishaw, and 31 year-old Gary Wilson from Coatbridge, admitted assaulting Kevin Dillon and Carol Barr at their home in Dinmont Crescent, Motherwell on April 22, this year, with intent to rob them.

The High Court in Glasgow heard that Connor was out early on licence from an 18-month sentence when he took part in the robbery bid.

Judge Lord Burns jailed Connor for four years and four months and ordered him to be monitored in the community for three years after his release.

Wilson, who has fewer previous convictions, was jailed for three years and seven months.

Lord Burns told the pair: “You both involved yourselves in a terrifying assault on these householders with your faces masked and weapons in your hands.”

The court was told that Connor has a significant record for violence.

Prosecutor Greg Farrell said: “The couple were sitting watching television at 11.30pm when they heard a bang on their front front door.

“Two men wearing black masks with skull faces on them burst in. Each was carrying a hammer and a knife.

“One of them said: 'This is a robbery, drugs, money.'”

One of the men pushed Ms Barr andMr Dillon intervened to help her and was hit by both accused.

Connor hit Mr Dillon on the arm and Wilson hit him on the knee. Both men hit him with a hammer and then fled.

Solicitor advocate Shahid Latif, representing Connor, said: “He turned back to drug abuse after his business failed. This incident was of short duration and no one was seriously hurt.”

Solicitor advocate Rhonda Anderson, representing Wilson, said: “They were only in the house for about two minutes. Mr Dillon received a minor injury to his arm.

“Mr Wilson has displayed remorse."