Two robbers who held up PO jailed for almost eight years

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Francis McLean and Valene Brown threatened staff with a samurai sword in Livingston earlier this year.

Two robbers who held up a post office and fled the scene on their bicycles have been jailed for almost eight years.

Francis McLean, 50, and Valene Brown, 21, carried out the armed raid at a shop in Livingston, West Lothian, in May this year.

Worker Aiden Gilani had been threatened with a large samurai sword but got hold of the weapon and eventually chased the pair out of the shop. The robbery was caught on CCTV at the store.

McLean and Brown fled on their bikes, but their DNA was discovered on items left at the scene and they were caught.

On Monday, McLean was sentenced to five years and three months while Brown was jailed for three years. McLean will also have to be kept under supervision for two years when he is released.

At the High Court in Edinburgh, Lord Hardie told them: "The young man, who was the son of the postmaster, tackled you despite the fact that you McLean were brandishing a sword with a 20 inch blade.

"Clearly his actions were extremely brave but could have resulted in serious consequences indeed for him. It is a matter of good fortune that nobody was seriously injured as a result of your actions.

"Shopkeepers and shop assistants are entitled to be protected from people who seek to rob them. The court will do what it can to afford such employees and owners the necessary protection against criminals who threaten shopkeepers with weapons for the purpose of effecting a robbery."

The pair previously admitted the assault and robbery when they appeared at the High Court in Glasgow.

McLean and Brown partially covered their faces when they held up Knightsridge Post Office in Cameron Way, Livingston on May 24 this year.

McLean, of Erskine Way, Livingston, was armed with a 20-inch sword and ordered Mr Gilani to lie on the ground. He shouted at the 25-year-old to stay where he was or he would kill him.

McLean then passed bank notes from the safe to Brown before Mr Gilani began to struggle with them. The staff member managed to grab hold of the sword and lashed out at the robbers, forcing them to drop the majority of the cash.

Mr Gilani got them out of the shop and the duo escaped on their bikes. Both McLean and Brown were injured in the raid but Mr Gilani was not.

The court heard £16,270 had been removed from the safe, but £14,000 of that sum was dropped by the robbers at the post office.

Police were given the sword which Mr Gilani still had. DNA was recovered from the weapon and McLean's DNA was also found on a hat left at the scene. Brown's bike was also discovered dumped near to the shop.