Pals locked up for phoney Lichfield pub robbery

Two friends who plotted to steal a MIdland pub's takings through a stage-managed 'robbery' have been locked up.

The phoney victim was James Parker-Cooper, the trainee assistant manager of The Bowling Green in Friary Road, Lichfield and the hooded 'robber' Marcus Jones.

But the pair were caught red-handed after some "loose talk" tipped off police who were lying in wait, Stafford Crown Court heard.

Mr Kevin Saunders, prosecuting, said officers watched as Parker-Cooper left the pub through a side door where Jones, wearing a hood over his head and carrying a lock knife, bundled him back inside.

Officers went into the pub and arrested the pair in the cashing-up room. Around £8,000 had been taken out of the safe and put into a rucksack. Parker-Cooper pretended to be in shock, claiming there was a man with a knife in the premises. An ambulance was called to treat him, but paramedics could find nothing wrong with him.

When questioned, however, both defendants made frank admissions of collusion and text messages between them showed the fake robbery had been pre-planned.

Parker-Cooper, aged 22, of Sale Road, Sutton Coldfield was jailed for 16 months after admitting conspiracy to steal.

Jones, aged 20, of Streamside Way, Shelfield, Walsall, who admitted conspiracy and possessing a lock knife, was sent to youth custody for a total of 20 weeks.

Recorder Mr Derek Desmond told them; "Both of you hatched the plan together and it was obviously pre-meditated. For you, Parker-Cooper, it was a gross breach of trust."?He went on to say: "The public need to know that carrying a knife in public is going to lead to a custodial sentence.

"Had the police not been there and you had got away with it, you were going to pretend you had been robbed."

Mr Saunders said the pub had been under surveillance after they received information about the fake robbery on May 21.

Mr Fergal Bloomer, for Parker-Cooper, told the court yesterday: "This wasn't a sophisticated offence – there was some loose talk, the police got hold of it and they were waiting. No other pub employees had to witness these unpleasant events."