THREE men who stole £9,000 from a cash machine at a petrol station have been jailed for a total of 18 years.
Kyle Lovell, Dane Fitzwater and Stuart Lucas raided Cookes petrol station in Bolton Road, Atherton, on the evening of March 19 along with another man.
Liverpool Crown Court heard that they were wearing balaclavas and were armed with a machete, a Stihl saw and a sledgehammer and threatened the terrified assistant, Ailyub Mogra.
They used the mechanised saw and other items to break into the cash machine situated in the premises and stole the money from the cash box, said David Geey, prosecuting.
The assistant was so terrified, he could not speak and started shaking.
The gang then fled in a stolen car but police gave chase and followed them to a house in Central Avenue, Leigh, where the three defendants were arrested.
Lovell and Lucas did not comment when interviewed and Fitzwater denied being involved.
Lovell, aged 24, of Bright Street, Leigh; Fitzwater, aged 21, of Buchannon Street, Leigh;, and Lucas, aged 29, of Alfred Street, Lowton, Warrington; all pleaded guilty to conspiracy to rob.
Sentencing the men to six years each, Judge John Roberts said it was a very serious offence aggravated by the fact that weapons had been used to frighten.
"Only custodial sentences are appropriate to punish your wicked conduct and to deter others," said Judge Roberts.
He accepted that others had been involved, and that they had not instigated the offence and had only joined in at a late stage.
All three have previous convictions.
Defence barristers said their clients regretted their involvement in the raid.
Philip Boyd, defending Fitzwater, said he had only agreed to go along after having a few drinks in a pub and he had also taken temazepam tablets.
"He was as much a fool as a knave," said Mr Boyd.
Lovell's barrister, Keith Andrews, said he had not used gratuitous violence.
And Nicholas Dunham said Lucas had been in serious debt and had personal problems at the time.
He had been approached by two men in the pub who asked if he wanted to make some money and, being drunk, he agreed.
