Members of armed robbery gang sentenced to total of 62 years

Sentencing the six defendants at Leeds Crown Court, Judge Paul Hoffman said the offence at Brooklands bar in Bradford Road, Batley, early on August 31, 2009 involved careful planning and execution. Using inside information supplied by part-time doorman Abdul Din, four men wearing masks or balaclavas had entered the bar as the bank holiday takings were being put into the safe.

Armed with a machete and a taser gun they forced bar manager Paul Beard to load cash into one bag while one of the robbers filled another.

Mr Beard and another staff member James Gettings were then locked in a strong room before the raiders left with around £20,000.

They had also stolen personal items from the two men including their mobile phones so they could not call for help.

The pair were only released when the general manager arrived 40 minutes later, by which time most of those involved had arrived at the Travel Lodge at Thornbury, Bradford, to share the loot.

David Bailey, 28, of Dudley Avenue, Manchester, and Amjid Sabir, 39, of Killinghall Road, Bradford were each jailed for 12 years while Din, 40, of Padget Street, Keighley, and Ansar Mahmood, 32, of Killinghall Road, Bradford, were both jailed for 11 years.

All four were convicted by a jury last year of conspiracy to rob.

The judge said the jury had asked for leniency for Din but he had played a pivotal role. Sabir and Mahmood had communication roles.

Gary Buttle, 21, of Stratford Street, Beeston, Leeds, was jailed for a total of nine years after admitting conspiracy to rob, an earlier burglary and criminal damage and a subsequent robbery of a 14-year-old boy while on bail.

Luke Humble, 20, of Killinghall Road, Bradford, who also admitted conspiracy to rob, was sentenced to seven years .

Nicholas Barker, prosecuting, said information about the premises was provided by Din and a door which should have been secured when staff finished that night was left open, providing the robbery team with a way in to the bar.

Bailey, who had been heard talking about the robbery before the raid and was known to have been one of those who went into the bar along with Buttle and Humble, subsequently bought a motor bike the next day for £3,350.

Matthew Gent, for Buttle, said at the time of the robbery he had gone off the rails after starting to drink heavily and was under the influence of others.

Simon Hustler, for Humble, said he was a foot soldier and not one of the planners.

The judge commended police officers and those involved in preparing the case.