
Ex-Glamour Model Jailed for Brutal Torture and Theft of Man’s Inheritance
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Two drug addicts have been sentenced to five and a half years in prison each after a brutal attack on a vulnerable man, with the pair torturing him to rob him of his cash inheritance. Former glamour model Leanne Houston and Stephen Kerr, 40, subjected their “broken” and “vulnerable” target to horrendous violence, repeatedly stabbing him with a knife and battering him with a hammer, leaving him severely injured.
According to the court, the duo repeatedly demanded that the victim disclose the PIN number to his bank cards. They forced him to transfer money from his savings account—money he had inherited following a family bereavement—into his current account so that they could withdraw the cash, reported by the Daily Record.
The heartless pair even coerced him into accompanying them to ATMs, where they withdrew funds to finance their drug and alcohol consumption. The victim, who had been left in a state of terror and severe physical distress, eventually mustered the courage to escape from a property where he had been held against his will. Upon reaching a branch of his bank in Glasgow’s west end, alarmed staff noticed his extensive cuts and bruises, prompting immediate police action.
During trial, evidence revealed that the abuse occurred at several locations in north Glasgow between May 6 and May 12, 2023. Both Houston and Kerr, whose criminal histories include numerous previous convictions and a long-standing history of drug and alcohol abuse, maintained their innocence. However, both parties later contacted the victim to offer apologies.
Passing sentence, Judge Alistair Watson described the pair’s actions as “somewhat cruel assaults” that left their victim severely injured. He stated, “This culminated in them taking advantage of his finances, forcing him against his will to transfer significant amounts of his savings on your behalf. You selected a person who was a particularly vulnerable individual with significant challenges in his life. He was a somewhat isolated individual and as you knew, a person who happened to have inherited money from a relative.”
The judge continued, “It’s clear from the evidence that you selected him and assaulted him with the purpose of financing your lifestyle, in particular the consumption of drugs and alcohol.”
He further noted that while the physical injuries sustained by the victim were severe, the psychological impact on him had been “significant and prolonged.”
Houston, a 34-year-old mother of three with a “chaotic” lifestyle and assessed as having a medium risk of reoffending, had her sentence backdated to December 12, when she was first remanded in custody. Kerr, assessed as being at risk of reoffending and who had been on remand, had his sentence backdated to July 5, 2023. Additionally, Kerr’s sentence includes a supervised release order under which he will be monitored for two and a half years following his release, intended to protect the public and improve his prospects for reintegration into society.
In court, Houston bowed her head and wept as the sentence was passed, marking a grim conclusion to a case that has shocked the local community and highlighted the severe consequences of exploiting vulnerable individuals for financial gain.