Two masked thugs who broke into family homes in Lanarkshire and Lothian and abducted two young girls have been hit with lengthy jail sentences.
Patrick Mooney, 41, and Patrick Keenan, 23, were jailed for a total of 19 years at the High Court in Paisley this week for the break-ins at properties in Chryston in North Lanarkshire and East Calder in West Lothian.
The pair had both pleaded guilty to charges of abduction, assault and robbery during an earlier hearing at the High Court in Glasgow.
Their pleas followed two incidents in Chryston and East Calder within five days last year when they carried out the attacks wearing balaclavas.
Both homes were specifically targeted by the thugs.
They made off with £5000 in cash and threatened to “kill” a member of the family in Chryston during a frightening ordeal on February 18, 2021. when they formed part of a mob who stormed in and smashed patio doors before assaulting the house’s occupants.
Five days earlier on February 13 they had broken into a flat in East Calder, armed with a spade they confronted two young girls aged eight and 12 and ordered them into a bedroom, warning them to: “Comply and we will not hurt you”.
They then made off with £2300 in cash.
Mooney was sentenced to 10 years and his accomplice Keenan was given nine years.
DI Kevin Tait said of the incidents: “Abduction and robberies within someone’s home are very intrusive crimes.
"Patrick Mooney and Patrick Keenan targeted their victims, planned their attacks and had no regard for the impact that these crimes have on the victim and their families.
“We carried out extensive investigations with our colleagues from across the country to ensure these two men were apprehended.
“Thankfully crimes of this violent nature are not a common occurrence and this was a great example of the positive relationship we have with the public who provided important information which assisted our enquiries.
"Hopefully they will take comfort from this sentencing today.”
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