JAILED: Wolverhampton bank robbers held 83-year-old woman at knifepoint

The 83-year-old's ordeal began when Aaron Alsop and another, unidentified man – both wearing motorbike helmets - entered the HSBC on Birches Barn just after 10am on December 18, 2014 and demanded money from the cashier.

The unidentified man grabbed the elderly woman, held a knife to her throat and demanded more cash before running out of the bank and into Raphael Edwards' Vauxhall Insignia, which was waiting nearby.

Then, in an early bid to try and exonerate himself, Edwards, 32, called police shortly after the robbery to say he had his car stolen from him in a carjacking and was forced to act as the getaway driver.

However, with Edwards recently being released on licence from prison for robbery, officers soon became suspicious of his account and he was unable to offer any further details about what he claimed had happened to him.

Subsequent checks on his phone also showed he was having a phone conversation with someone - precisely at the time he claimed his car was being robbed from him.

Detectives were then able to identify Aaron Alsop, 31, as being involved after he was captured on nearby CCTV fleeing the scene. His fingerprints were later lifted from the Insignia.

Edwards of Eastney Crescent, Wolverhampton, and Alsop of Blackhalve Lane, Wolverhampton, both admitted the robbery and were sentenced at Wolverhampton Crown Court on 8 June to 10 years six months and nine years eight months behind bars, respectively.

Detective Constable Laura Massey said: "Edwards thought he was being clever by calling us to give an alibi but actually, it was a massive own goal and simply identified him as a suspect.

"This was a really nasty robbery and anyone who is willing to be involved in one where a knife is held to an elderly woman's throat quite rightly deserves a lengthy sentence.

"Thankfully the woman was not injured in the robbery but nobody at that stage in their life should have to endure what she did on that day…and just before Christmas.

"We hope the prison terms handed to Alsop and Edwards go some way to helping her move on from what happened and also reassure the wider public that Wolverhampton is now a safer place with this dangerous pair behind bars."