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Robbers using claw hammer broke into Elgin home and stole three piggy banks

William Christie
William Christie

Two robbers who forced their way into a house armed with a claw hammer and stole three children’s piggy banks have been jailed.

William Christie and Christopher Smith raided the house in Elgin late last year, in the hope of stealing a local taxi driver’s takings.

The pair woke up Michael McMann by ripping a sleep Apnoea mask from his face and demanding to know where the safe was, while swinging the hammer – smashing it off the wall.

A 13-year-old boy was asleep in the next room as Christie, 29, and Smith, 26, ransacked the house.

Mr McMann – who was a guest of taxi driver Craig McDonald – raced out of the house in his boxers to raise the alarm, and the men escaped.

But as they fled, they grabbed the three piggy banks, containing silvers and coppers.

Yesterday the pair – who have a string of similar previous convictions – appeared at the High Court in Glasgow for sentence, having previously admitted forcing their way into the house, assaulting 46-year-old Mr McMann and stealing the money boxes on November 22 last year.

Judge Lord Boyd sentenced Christie, of Elgin, to four years and Smith, of Keith, to four-and-a-half years.

He told the pair: “This was a positive assault on Mr McMann, fortunately there was no physical injury.

“But this was a frightening experience for him and has also affected the 13-year-old boy who was asleep at the time.”

The court heard Mr McMann was staying at his friend Mr McDonald’s house that night while he was out working.

Advocate depute Paul Brown said that at around 2am, Mr McMann was woken up by someone pulling his sleep Apnoea mask away from his face and shouting “Where’s the safe?”.

He said: “As he uttered the words the male affected a Polish accent.

“Mr McMann then saw a second male enter the room. He was also shouting, “where’s the safe?” and was also affecting a Polish accent.

“The complainer sat up in bed. He saw that the second male was holding a claw hammer in his right hand, which he was swinging in an aggressive manner.”

The court heard the victim stood up and was worried he would be hit as the man swung the hammer towards him. He punched the man in the face, and ran past him to a neighbour’s house to phone the police.

It was reported to the police that two males had forced their way into the house and were driving around in a silver Subaru wearing balaclavas.

Mr McDonald immediately returned home after he received a phone call telling him what happened, and noticed that in one of the rooms three coloured piggy banks – one with silver coins and two with coppers – were missing.

The court heard Mr McDonald did have a safe in his house with takings from his taxi business which he told police about.

When he checked the safe, he saw it had not been discovered and could not think of anybody suspicious who knew about it.

Christie and Smith were later found hiding in undergrowth near to the silver car and were “extremely hostile”.

When interviewed both accused refused to answer questions and made no reply when they were charged.

It was said on their behalf that they thought the house was empty when they entered it.