Armed club robber jailed for four years

Adam Pilkington, 23, of Temple Drive, Blackburn, and another masked raider escaped with £1,682 from Audley Working Men's Club, Audley Range, Blackburn.

Preston Crown Court heard two female staff were forced into the rear bar area, with repeated demands made to open the safe.

A woman was held at the end of a bar while a robber hit a metal bar against the wall.

The robbers got the keys to the safe, opened it and emptied the contents into a carrier bag.

Judge Norman Wright said it must have been a terrifying experience for the club staff.

Pilkington had pleaded guilty to robbery.

The court heard that on the evening of Thursday, April 19, a dominoes match took place at the club between Audley and Orchard working men's club members.

Shortly after midnight all members and guests left and the three victims began to cash up.

Richard Bennett, prosec-uting, said various amounts of cash from the tills were put in a safe and doors were locked.

At this point, two figures with hoods over their heads were spotted near the doors.

Because of their suspicious behaviour, staff were told not to open the doors.

But one of the hooded men managed to get a door open.

The pair entered the club, wearing full face balaclavas and holding metal bars.

Mr Bennett said: "They held the bars at head height in a threatening manner and shouted: Open the safe now'."

One victim saw what was happening from CCTV monitors and called police, before locking himself inside an office to safeguard cash.

It was then that the two female staff were threatened.

Police arrived moments after the culprits had left.

Jon Close, defending, said Pilkington was very remorseful.

Before the robbery he had got drunk and taken sleeping tablets.

Before starting his sentence, Pilkington will have to serve 30 weeks jail.

This was imposed for breach of a suspended order for an offence of affray. The other robber remains at large.