A violent thug who kidnapped a couple's pet chihuahua and locked the tiny dog in a suitcase during a terrifying robbery has been jailed for three years. Former soldier Shaun Docherty, 31, tied up dog owner James Connelly-Traynor and took his dog Liza as collateral before forcing his partner to drive to an ATM and withdraw cash.
Details of the Robbery
Hamilton Sheriff Court heard that Docherty had only met the couple, both teachers, the previous evening and joined them for drinks at their home in East Kilbride, Lanarkshire. The incident occurred on January 4 this year while Docherty was on bail. He admitted abducting and assaulting James Connelly-Traynor, 41, and abducting, assaulting and robbing Norman Connelly-Traynor, 42.
Prosecutor Daisy Bentley said: 'Docherty fell asleep and when he woke up at some point in the morning he became agitated and aggressive. He grabbed a glass and struck Norman Connelly-Traynor on the head with it. He then hit James on the head with a glass bottle.' Docherty demanded money and threatened to use the dog as collateral, placing Liza in a suitcase and zipping it up.
Victim Forced to Withdraw Cash
Docherty ripped a sheet, made James lie on a bed with his hands behind his back, and strapped his wrists and ankles together. He then left the house with Norman and Liza, still in the suitcase, saying he wasn't going to hurt them. Norman was forced to drive his Hyundai car to Hamilton, where he withdrew £300 from two cash machines. Docherty also stole two mobile phones, a drill, and bottles of alcohol.
Ms Bentley added: 'They stopped again after this and Docherty went into a shop, taking the suitcase with him to prevent Norman from driving away. At another point Docherty left the car again, taking the suitcase, the bag of alcohol and the drill.' He walked off, gesturing for Norman to drive away, but Norman refused to leave without his dog. He circled the area and eventually found Docherty, who opened the car door, placed the suitcase on the seat, punched Norman in the face, and told him to 'F*** off'.
Aftermath and Sentencing
Back at the house, James had freed himself and raised the alarm with a neighbour. A police armed response unit was called but Docherty was not traced at that time. Defence lawyer Laura Kiernan said Docherty endured a traumatic childhood and struggled with alcohol and cocaine addiction. She said: 'He was in the army but due to an injury he was discharged. He wishes to apologise to the complainers in this case. He can offer no explanation for his behaviour other than his consumption of alcohol.'
Docherty was jailed for 27 months in a separate assault and robbery case earlier this year. Sheriff John Hamilton KC sentenced him to three years for this offence, calling his behaviour 'disturbing and appalling'. The sheriff also imposed non-harassment orders banning Docherty from contacting the Connelly-Traynors for 25 years.
