A man who robbed £78,000 from two different security guards at the same building society has been jailed for 15 years. Lee Cook, 47, pointed an imitation firearm at two guards at a Nationwide branch in Wallsend, Tyneside.
The thief, who conducted two raids at the same outlet, threatened G4S workers delivering money to the building society and told the guard: "Give me the f***ing box" before making off with the cash, reports ChronicleLive.
Newcastle Crown Court heard how the victim handed over a box which contained £39,000 in cash due to fear of being shot but some months later Cook pulled off another robbery at the same branch.
The 47-year-old returned with Stephen Bayley, 39, to the location on High Street East and informed another security guard to 'drop the box, drop the box' while pointing an imitation firearm at him.
Andrew Espley, prosecuting, told the court: "He said the gun was shiny silver. He said he didn't know much about guns but it was a normal size and he was staring down the hole of the barrel."
The case handed over also contained the same amount, £39,000, as in the first robbery with Mr Espley saying the guard feared for his life. "This was the first time anything like this has happened to him in 20 years. He has concerns doing the same job going forward," he said.
After the second heist on January 10, Bayley was on the run, the court heard. He booked in to hotels but was arrested by police at Crimdon Dene Holiday Park in Hartlepool on January 18. The court heard how a second man, who could not be identified, did take part in the first robbery with Cook on November 30, 2020. "Mr Cook wore the same North Face jacket in both robberies," noted Mr Espley.
Cook pleaded guilty to two counts of robbery and possession of an imitation firearm. While Bayley was convicted of one count of robbery, possession of an imitation firearm and a separate charge of breaching a restraining order.
Both appeared via video link from Durham prison with Bayley choosing to leave the hearing and was sentenced in absence. Matthew Donkin, defending Cook, told the court that he was under pressure due to drug debt. He said: "He maintains that there were threats being made to him."
Mr Donkin said that Cook was suffering from a mixed anxiety and depressive disorder at the time. He said: "He was plainly not a very well man".
David Callan, defending Bayley, told the court that Bayley has ADHD and mental health difficulties. In relation to the offence, he said: "It's a high value of goods £39,000 but I submit it's not a very high value."
Judge Moreland said the second incident was a "professionally planned commercial robbery" with clearly a significant degree of planning. She said: "There must have been surveillance over the building to identify when the security guard would attend to refill the ATM". The judge said they secured a van and there was evidence of a second phone being obtained.
She added: "Mr Cook, although not arrested, was committing his second armed robbery at this premises in 18 months." In relation to the first robbery, the judge added: "There must have been surveillance to determine when the security guards would attend the bank in order to deliver the cash. The firearm had to be obtained and then the firearm and the money disappeared and were never recovered."
Cook was sentenced to 15 years in prison while Bayley was sentenced to 12 years and nine months. The pair must serve two thirds of the sentence before they can be released on licence.
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