Firearms robber is facing life in prison

A dangerous armed robber was facing life behind bars today after police ram-med his stolen car off the road and found balaclavas, a shotgun and ammunition.

Craig Hickinbottom, who was once one of the country's most wanted men, was arrested at gunpoint seconds after he sped away from surveillance officers who were hunting him after he fled a bail hostel.

The stolen Vauxhall Corsa collided with police cars and crashed into a fence before his passenger Dean Isitt, another convicted armed robber, fled with the shotgun.

Today the Express & Star can reveal the full history of the pair after a jury took less than three hours yesterday to convict them of firearms charges.

Yesterday Judge Martin Walsh told Hickinbottom, aged 28, of no fixed address, and Isitt, 31, of Waterfall Lane, Rowley Regis, that he was considering jailing them indefinitely "for public protection" when they are sentenced on November 26.

They along with passenger Conor Cox, 18, who also had a balaclava, were found guilty of having the shotgun in the car along with with possession of the stolen Corsa and its false number plates. Hickinbottom was convicted of dangerous driving.

Cox, who has no serious previous convictions, faces a minimum five year sentence and all three were remanded in custody.

Read more in today's Express & Star.