A mother who killed her baby daughter by exposing her to heat from a hairdryer, a bungling ATM thief who used his own bank card to check his balance, and a violent thug who kidnapped a couple's pet chihuahua and locked it in a suitcase were among the Scottish criminals brought to justice this week.
Mother Guilty of Killing Baby with Hairdryer
Courtney Gartshore, 28, was found guilty of culpable homicide after killing her three-month-old daughter Dahlia-Rose in Peterhead, Aberdeenshire, in September 2023. The baby suffered burns to 18 per cent of her body. Gartshore had denied the charge but broke down in tears as she was led from the dock. She is due to be sentenced at the High Court in Edinburgh on August 14.
Prosecutors said the injuries were so severe that the infant died as a result. The court heard allegations that Gartshore had consumed alcohol and taken the Class B drug mephedrone while she was the baby's sole carer.
ATM Thief Caught After Using Own Bank Card
Felix Urcaciu, 33, and his brother Cristian, 37, used cash-trapping devices to steal more than £25,000 from ATMs across Scotland, Yorkshire and the East Midlands. They fitted metal sleeves over cash dispenser slots, preventing notes from being released. Victims believed the machine was faulty and walked away, allowing the crooks to return and collect the cash.
Nottinghamshire Police launched an investigation in 2023 and cross-checked transaction records with CCTV footage. They discovered Felix had used his own bank card during the offences, directly linking him to the thefts. At Nottingham Crown Court, Cristian was jailed for 33 months, while Felix was sentenced in his absence to 40 months.
Thug Kidnaps Chihuahua During Robbery
Former soldier Shaun Docherty, 31, kidnapped a couple's pet chihuahua named Liza and locked it in a suitcase during a terrifying robbery. He tied up dog owner James Connelly-Traynor and forced his partner to drive to an ATM and withdraw cash. Docherty told the victims he was holding their pet as 'collateral'. He later returned the dog unharmed and made off with cash and alcohol.
Docherty admitted abducting and assaulting James Connelly-Traynor, 41, and abducting, assaulting and robbing Norman Connelly-Traynor, 42, at their home in East Kilbride on January 4 this year. He had met the couple, both teachers, the previous evening and joined them for drinks. The sheriff branded his behaviour 'disturbing and appalling' and jailed him for three years. Non-harassment orders were imposed, banning Docherty from contacting the victims for 25 years.
