Pair jailed for abducting and torturing a teenager in Renfrew
Christopher Rennie teamed up with Anthony Wright to pounce on the 14 year-old, who had gone to his local shop for sweets
A freed thug helped kidnap and torture an innocent teenage boy - just a week after he was released early from jail. Christopher Rennie teamed up with Anthony Wright to pounce on the 14 year-old, who had gone to his local shop for sweets.
The terrified child was grabbed off the street and hurled into a flat in Renfrew, Renfrewshire in January this year.
The hour-long ordeal saw him blindfolded, battered and robbed while one of the thugs told him: “I've killed before.”
They demanded he return home and steal £500 from his mum.
But, the blood-soaked boy managed to escape their clutches - despite being forced to walk in women's boots.
Rennie (27) and Wright (23) are now behind bars after they were both convicted of abduction, assault and robbery.
It emerged after the verdicts serial criminal Rennie was just back on the streets when he struck.
He was jailed for 40 months in September 2016 after car-jacking a woman at a supermarket.
But, he was freed on January 19 this year - less than halfway through the sentence and exactly a week before attacking the boy.
This was despite a sheriff once stating Rennie had a “formidable” criminal record including a string of assaults.
He was also on supervision after being released early.
Wright meantime was on a two year community payback at the time.
They each face lengthy jail-terms when they are sentenced next month.
The High Court in Glasgow heard how the young victim had gone to his local shop to buy sweets and crisps.
He was planning on returning to play his computer - but instead was confronted by Rennie and Wright as he left the store.
The boy - said to be “very shy” and a “young looking 14 year-old” - was also described as an “obvious target” for the pair.
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 schoolboy did not give evidence during the trial.
He was instead questioned by lawyers at an earlier hearing, which was played to the jury.
The court also heard his police interview read out - in which he explains the harrowing details of his ordeal.
He was described as becoming emotional during it.
The trial was told he was initially “tripped up” then held face down and his pockets rifled.
The youngster was soon shoved into a nearby close and “threw” into a flat, where it turned out Wright had been staying at.
After being grabbed, 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 initially punched and told how he “curled up” to protect himself.
Rennie grabbed him by the throat 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.
The boy also said: “I felt something smash over the back of my head. I could hear wee bits falling down the bath.”
The court heard pieces of a broken light bulb were later found.
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.”
Miss Farquharson suggested it was unlikely a teenage boy would “voluntarily” go out wearing female footwear.
As they reached the victim's home, he buzzed to get in as his attackers hovered.
But, the traumatised child then noticed his front door ajar and sprinted inside to safety.
His mum recalled him being “very shocked” and “covered in blood”.
She added her soon was in a “sheer panic” and “begging” her not to answer the door.
Police were soon alerted. The boy was later able to take them to the block where he was held.
Rennie and Wright were eventually found at another flat in the town.
Rennie still had the stolen trainers and scarf.
The pair were then recorded chatting while later in police cells.
Rennie asked: “Are we f*?”. His fellow thug replied: “Aye, I told you we were f*.”
Rennie also stated: “Anton, we're f* bro.”
He went on to claim he would “plead to the lot”. He also spoke of “kidnapping” and “torture”.
But, after being charged, he said: “It's a load of s****.”
The trial heard claims the boy had “exaggerated” what went on.
The pair even 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.
Prosecutors said it was a “stroke of good fortune” he was not more badly hurt.
Judge Graeme Buchanan remanded the pair in custody as sentencing was deferred for reports.