Leanne Houston and Stephen Kerr received 5.5 years for torturing a man to steal his cash inheritance after a family bereavement
Glasgow: Two drug addicts tortured a man to steal his cash inheritance. Leanne Houston, a former glamour model, and Stephen Kerr, 40, were sentenced to five and a half years in prison.
They violently attacked their victim, stabbing him and hitting him with a hammer. They demanded his bank PIN and forced him to transfer money from his savings to his current account.
The pair withdrew thousands of pounds, using the cash to buy drugs and alcohol. Their abuse continued until the man found the courage to escape and seek help at a bank.
Bank staff noticed his injuries and alerted the police. Authorities built a case against Houston and Kerr, who were convicted of assault and robbery last December.
Both had a history of drug and alcohol abuse and numerous previous convictions. Judge Alistair Watson described their actions as cruel and targeted a vulnerable individual.
Houston, a mother of three, had her sentence backdated to December 12, when she was first remanded. Kerr’s sentence was backdated to July 5, 2023, and he will be monitored for two and a half years after release.
Houston cried in court as the sentence was announced. The judge emphasized the severe injuries and lasting psychological effects on the victim.