Two Belfast men were jailed for a total of seven years yesterday for an armed robbery at an east Belfast Co op store in September last year.
Belfast Crown Court was told that during the raid on the Beersbridge Road store, the assistant manager was forced to lie on the floor at gunpoint with a foot on his head before being forced into the office, where he was made to open the safe.
Cigarettes and cash were being removed when police arrived and caught the two accused. A third robber escaped.
Raymond Martin (25), Channing Street, and Jason Faulkner (22), of Vicarage Street, pleaded guilty to the robbery on September 9th, 1995, using an imitation firearm.
A Crown lawyer said while Martin had an absolutely clear record, Faulkner had a lengthy record for dishonesty, including a conviction for robbery in 1993. He was still on licence at the time of this offence.
Mr Justice Pringle jailed Faulker for four years and Martin for three years.