AN armed robber who was foiled by an heroic customer in an attempted raid at an insurance office was starting a nine year jail term today. Philip Lord pleaded guilty at Bolton Crown Court yesterday. He fled empty handed last June from a Tonge Moor office after he was confronted by local businessman Frank Adams.

And today fearless Mr Adams vowed he would stand up to armed criminals again if he had to.

Mr Adams, 46, who has a black belt in jujitsu said: "If I had to I would do the same thing again. You've got to stand up to these people and they shouldn't be allowed to get away with it."

In court Recorder David Aubrey said he was imposing a sentence longer than standard, in order to protect the public from Lord, 34, of Bury Road, Rawtenstall, who had a previous history of carrying out armed robberies.

His unsuccessful raid on Millway Insurance Services, Tonge Moor Road, on June 26 last year, occurred only six weeks after his release on licence from a seven year sentence, also for robbery, Mark Lamberty prosecuting told the court.

Mr Lamberty said that the attack on the office came at lunchtime when the proprietor Irene Williamson was alone and had locked the door for security.

Mr Adams came to the shop. Mrs Williamson recognised him and opened the door for him.

As she did so, Lord followed Mr Adams into the office, produced a knife and cut Mr Adams on his face before ordering him outside.

Mr Adams left, but held onto the door from the outside, effectively trapping Lord inside, Mr Lamberty said.

When Lord realised he was being confined, he first attacked the door and then vaulted the counter, and eventually managed to escape, empty handed, through a rear window of the premises.

Mr Lamberty commended Mr Adams, who he said had acted with great courage.

Mr Lamberty added that Lord was traced by a pager he left behind at the scene, and the footprint found on the office counter.

Harold Goddard QC said the office raid was an unplanned crime committed in a moment of madness.

He said Lord had spent most of his adult life in prison and was in danger of becoming institutionalised.

He described his client as "a wretched man."

Earlier in the week, Lord was found not guilty of carrying out a robbery at the Skipton Building Society office in Deansgate, Bolton town centre, on Tuesday, June 2 last year.

Recorder Aubrey ruled that evidence of identification was insufficient to justify a prosecution being put to a jury.

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