Two men jailed for plot to rob cash van at Eastham bank

Aug 10 2011 by Chloe Griffiths, Bromborough and Bebington News

TWO men who were involved in a plot to rob a cash-in-transit van have been jailed.

Liverpool Crown Court heard the gang aborted their plan at the last minute, but were snared anyway after eagle-eyed passers-by became suspicious.

They noticed the men wearing heavy clothing outside the NatWest bank, in Eastham, on a “glorious July day” and alerted the police.

Lewis Audley, 25, was jailed for 2½ years, while Kayne Jones, 20, received a total of 38 months.

Jones, of Walton, Liverpool, was sentenced to 32 months for the robbery conspiracy and an extra six months for a garage burglary in Ormskirk two weeks earlier.

Teresa Loftus, prosecuting, said: “At around 12pm, witnesses in Eastham noticed two men acting suspiciously. It was a warm summer’s day and they were wearing heavy, dark clothing and sitting in the Ford Fiesta in jackets and gloves.

“They attracted attention because they were putting hoods on on this warm summer’s day.”

A short time later, witnesses saw them parked on Eastham Rake, close to NatWest bank.

Audley, of Dovecot, Liverpool, was the passenger and Jones the driver.

Miss Loftus said: “They jumped out, placed their hoods on and shouted, ‘Go, go’ and ran towards the bank where Group 4 Security guards were unloading money for the bank.

“However, for reasons which the Crown is unable to say, the two males aborted this robbery and they ran off in opposite directions.”

Audley ran into a betting shop where he tried to blend in with the customers, while Jones ran into the nearby library. They were both arrested nearby..

Michael Scholes, defending, said Audley, who has a young child, had been recalled to jail to finish a seven-year sentence imposed in 2006.