Men who kidnapped teenage boy both jailed for a total of almost 16 years.
Last updated 5th Sep 2018
Two thugs who kidnapped and tortured an innocent boy have been jailed for a total of almost 16 years.
Christopher Rennie and Anthony Wright pounced on the 14 year-old who had gone to his local shop for sweets and crisps in January this year.
The youngster was bundled into a Renfrewshire flat, blindfolded, battered and robbed – as one of the pair sneered: “I've killed before.”
The blood-soaked boy eventually managed to escape their clutches despite being forced to walk in women's boots.
Rennie (27) and Wright (23) were today/yesterday sentenced after being convicted of abduction, assault and robbery.
Rennie had only been back on the streets a week when he struck.
He had been freed less then halfway through a 40-month jail term for car-jacking a woman at a supermarket.
It emerged in court Wright had flouted eight different bail orders.
Judge Graeme Buchanan told the duo: “You subjected your victim – a 14 year-old boy – to a terrifying ordeal.
“Both of you have bad records particularly for violence.”
He said the thugs were deemed “high risk” of causing further harm.
Addressing Wright, the judge added: “You were subject to eight bail orders at the time.
“It is remarkable such a situation was allowed to occur.”
Rennie was jailed for six years and nine months. He must first, however, serve 604 days from his previous sentence.
Wright was locked up for seven years. Both will be supervised for a further two years on their release.
The High Court in Glasgow heard how the “very shy” teenager was confronted by Rennie and Wright as he left a shop in Renfrew.
Prosecutor Jane Farquharson stated to jurors: “It is clear their motivation was to obtain money, but in their intoxicated state greed overtook and they went so much further.”
The trial heard his police interview explained the harrowing details of his ordeal.
The youngster was shoved into a nearby close and threw into a flat, where Wright had been staying.
The boy recalled: “I knew something was going to happen to me.”
Prosecutors called what then happened as a “fast moving and frightening incident”.
As he was held captive in the flat, the boy remembered: “I did not scream and I did not try to get away.
“I was told to get on my knees and look at the ground. I was even more scared at this point.”
He was punched before being whacked across the legs with a weapon.
The victim said: “They threatened to stab me and one of the guys told me he had killed lots of people before.”
The teenager was blindfolded and shoved into a bath.
He was then smacked across the face with a baseball bat bursting his nose. He was also hit over the head with a light bulb.
Miss Farquharson stated: “This boy is being assaulted by two adult men making all sorts of threats. He must have been terrified.”
The teenager was ordered to take off his Nike trainers, coat and scarf.
The boy was put in a pair of women's boots before the duo followed him to his home.
He recalled: “They told me to go into my house and steal £500 from my mum.”
The victim buzzed his door as his attackers hovered.
But, the traumatised child ran off and sprinted inside to safety.
His mum recalled him being “very shocked” and “covered in blood”.
The thugs were soon traced. Rennie still had the stolen trainers and scarf.
The pair were then recorded chatting while later in police cells.
Rennie asked: “Are we f*?”. Wright replied: “Aye, I told you we were f*.”
The pair later lied the teenager – who had never taken drugs – had willingly gone to the flat to take legal highs.
Jurors heard the boy luckily escaped any major injuries, but did suffer a number of cuts and bruises.
Rennie's lawyer Sarah Livingstone said the thug “does not understand why he does whatt he does”.
Louise Arrol, defending Wright, told the court he had “demonstrated insight into his behaviour”.