'Menacing and highly dangerous' robber jailed after pulling gun on chase police

Leeds Crown Court heard that Geoffrey Mohammed Bostan, 46, crashed a Ford Mondeo in Leeds as police chased the car on October 18, 2008, because a check showed it had no insurance.

He ran off behind the Light shopping complex but was tackled by two security men, Scott Threlfall and Stuart Collumb.

They held on to him but when chasing PCs Sean Wakeley and Matthew Irvine caught up Bostan produced a converted replica Glock 17 pistol which was loaded with ammunition. He was disarmed "perhaps none too gently", Tony Kelbrick prosecuting said.

Commending the two officers and awarding Mr Threlfall and Mr Collumb, 250 each from public funds for their bravery, Judge Christopher Batty said had it not been for them "who knows what the consequences might have been".

Bostan, 46 of Cross Flatts Avenue, Leeds, admitted robbery and firearm offences. He was ordered to serve a minimum of eight years and 348 days in jail but warned he would be released only when the Parole Board considers he is no longer a danger.

Judge Batty said that on April 1, 2008, Bostan and others had robbed a property developer at a house in Coniston Avenue, Dalton, Huddersfield.

One of Bostan's accomplices stood on her head, and two rings worth 7,000 and her handbag were stolen. She was punched in the face during the incident.

On May 10, 2008, Bostan posed as an interested buyer for a VW Golf in Town Street, Bramley, and drove off in it. When the owner's son and a friend gave chase he pulled out a gun and fired a shot at them.

In October that year he struck at the Co-op Travel Agents in Yeadon, threatening four women staff at gunpoint. Two other men stole 30,000 from the safe before they all escaped in a stolen Range Rover.