Lancashire trio jailed for £10k village shop raid
James Patrick Doherty, 34, of Witton Parade, Blackburn, Hugh McGeough, 36, of Springfield Road, Leyland, and Andrew Jeal, 32, of Haslingden Road, Blackburn, were convicted of robbing shop owner David Brown of £5,689 cash, 3,875 Euros and $792.
Doherty was also convicted of having an axe and crowbar during the incident at Cottam Stores on Hoyles Lane, Cottam, Preston, in the early hours of October 14 last year.
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Hide AdPreston Crown Court heard the shop owner David Brown had opened the door of the store at around 5.25am ready for a newspaper delivery.
A few minutes later he heard the shop door bell ring and saw two men enter the store wearing balaclavas.
The first was armed with a knife and crow bar, and the other had an axe.
They demanded the keys to the shop but the victim was able to edge backwards into the kitchen and run through the back door.
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Hide AdThe two raiders then left the store clutching various items.
They fled the scene in a Volkswagen Meriva driven by Jeal.
Police saw the car on the A59 heading towards Blackburn 15 minutes later and deployed a stinger to bring them to a swift halt.
They found a black plastic tray containing the currency.
Recorder Christopher Kennedy QC jailed Doherty for seven years and four months, and Jeal for four years.
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Hide AdMcGeough was also sentenced for burgling the premises of contractor firm North Star on Eden Street, Leyland, between September 18 and 24, 2016, and Casetronix in Leyland on September 2 and stealing a car.
He was jailed for a total of nine years and seven months.