A man has been jailed for 15 years after robbing £78,000 from two different security guards at the same building society.
Lee Cook, 47, pointed an imitation firearm in the face of one of two G4S workers who were delivering cash to the Nationwide Building Society in Wallsend and told him 'Give me the f***ing box'.
Newcastle Crown Court heard how the terrified victim handed over the box, which contained £39,000 in cash, as he feared he was going to be shot.
Around 14 months later, Cook returned to the same premises on High Street East with Stephen Bayley, 39.
They targeted another security guard while he was delivering cassettes of notes to the ATM machine. They threatened him with an imitation firearm and told him "drop the box, drop the box".
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."
He said that the security guard feared they were going to shoot him and handed over the box, which contained £39,000.
Mr Espley said that the worker described feeling numb and shaking following the incident. He said: "This was the first time anything like this has happened to him in 20 years. He has concerns doing the same job going forward."
Following the second robbery on January 10 last year, Bayley went on the run. He stayed at hotels, including the Village Hotel and The Caledonian Hotel, to avoid capture and also shaved his beard off.
However he was arrested by police at Crimdon Dene Holiday Park in Hartlepool on January 18.
The court in Newcastle heard how a second man had taken part in the first robbery with Cook on November 30, 2020 however it had not been possible to identify him.
Mr Espley said: "Mr Cook wore the same North Face jacket in both robberies."
Cook, of Morpeth Terrace, North Shields, pleaded guilty to two counts of robbery and possession of an imitation firearm.
Bayley, of Richmond Gardens, Wallsend, was convicted of one count of robbery, possession of an imitation firearm and a separate charge of breaching a restraining order.
The pair appeared in court on Wednesday afternoon via separate video links to Durham prison. However Bayley chose to leave the hearing and he was sentenced in his absence.
Matthew Donkin, defending Cook, told the court that he was under pressure due to debts which he had incurred due to drugs. 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 his life was clearly not a healthy existence, adding: "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 had obtained a van and there was evidence of a second phone being acquired.
The judge said: "Mr Cook, although not arrested, was committing his second armed robbery at this premises in 18 months."
In relation to Cook's first robbery, she said: "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."
Judge Moreland sentenced Cook to 15 years behind bars. Bayley was sent to prison for 12 years and nine months. They must serve two thirds of their sentence before they can be released on licence.
Read next:
Banned Gateshead driver knocked down dad and five-year-old son in stolen Audi and fled scene
County Durham dad jailed for carrying out late night rape of woman in Gateshead
Knife-wielding South Shields bully ripped out ex-girlfriend's hair during drunken attack
Former County Durham pharmacist who stabbed brother to death is jailed for 19 years
