A member of a burglary gang which threatened a terrified family and slashed their beloved pet dog during a sickening raid has been locked up.
Connor Hughes was sentenced to nine years after admitting his part in the burglary in Litherland which saw masked men wake up and threaten the family before knifing the dog.
Police said at around 2am on Saturday, January 26 the occupants of the house were awoken by a loud noise and confronted by men, who demanded money.
A spokesman said: "One of the males slashed the family’s dog during the incident causing a small cut and threats were made to the family. A quantity of cash was taken."
On Thursday Hughes, 24 of Meadow View, Litherland pleaded guilty at Liverpool Crown Court and was sentenced to nine years in jail.
Merseyside Police, who have launched Operation Castle to crack down on burglaries, welcomed the sentence.
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Detective Inspector Tony O’Brien said: “Burglaries can have a lasting impact on home owners who have every right to feel safe and protected in their own properties.
“This was a particularly nasty incident in which threats were made to the occupants of the house and the family’s dog was injured.
“I am pleased that Hughes will now have to spend a period of time behind bars reflecting on his actions."
He also repeated advice to beat the burglars.
He said: "Merseyside Police is committed to finding the people who are responsible for committing offences such as these and bringing them to justice and I would ask anyone who has any information about burglary offences in their area to contact us.
“I would also continue to ask the public to be vigilant as we know the vast majority of burglaries are preventable as they are often opportunistic.
"Lock your front and back door even when you are in, set your burglar alarm when you go out or go to bed and consider getting CCTV.
“It’s also a good idea to use light timers when you go out at night or away on holiday, keep valuables out of sight, and secure your shed and garage too. Look out for your neighbours, especially the elderly and report anything suspicious to us."
