Couple who tied up and robbed pensioner in his own home jailed

Jailed: James Cowan and Allana Wood drove their victim to an ATM.

A couple have been jailed for breaking into a 70-year-old man's home, tying him up and robbing him.


James Cowan, 39, and Allana Wood, 33, admitted carrying out the abduction and robbery at a hearing at the High Court in Glasgow.


They targeted William Moodie at his home in Plean, Stirlingshire, and ransacked the house for cash and high value items.


The court heard how the widower had been in bed in the early hours of June 6 this year when he heard a noise in his house.

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He was confronted by Cowan, Wood and a third man. Cowan demanded to know where cash was before his accomplice grabbed a money tin.

Mr Moodie was punched in the face and Cowan and Wood rifled through his drawers, before the victim was ordered to drive the trio to an ATM to get more cash.

He handed over £350 before driving home with his attackers in the car and was then ordered to lie on a bed.


The trio tied Mr Moodie up with scarves and shoelaces and stuffed a pair of socks in his mouth to keep him quiet.

They then went through his house filling carrier bags with goods including watches, jewellery and decanters.

Mr Moodie suffered a number of injuries including bruising to his face and arms.

The court was told he was so traumatised by the incident he had been forced to sell his home and move elsewhere.

Judge Lady Rae was also told that Cowan has more 100 previous convictions.

At the High Court in Livingston, Cowan was jailed for eight years and five months and Wood was jailed for five years and four months.

Detective inspector Kenny McAndrew, who led the police investigation, said: "This was an absolutely terrifying ordeal for the homeowner to endure and it was made all the more upsetting by the theft of various items of property from his home, which had great financial and sentimental value to him.

"James Cowan and Alana Wood showed little to no remorse for the impact their actions had on their victim and the sentences handed to them reflects our commitment to removing acquisitive and violent crime offenders from our communities."

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