THREE men who teamed up to commit a terrifying armed robbery have been jailed for a total of 45 years.

Angus Harron, 29, held a decommissioned firearm to the head of petrified shopkeeper Christine Dinsdale when he raided her small Penrith town centre shop on January 16.

Harron pistol-whipped Miss Dinsdale and then threatened her young son, who was also present, before stealing £50 cash.

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The youngster, who tried to hand the robber pennies from the till, suffers from nightmares following the shocking daytime incident, and remembers the "bad man who hurt mummy".

Those distressing details emerged at Carlisle Crown Court today.

Harron, of Main Street, Shap, was sentenced by Judge Paul Batty QC along with two accomplices, Mark Jewitt, 42, and Gareth Fleming, 36, for robbery and possession of the imitation firearm.

Harron, who admitted the offences and also a separate burglary, was jailed for 15 years. Getaway driver Jewitt, of Rydal Crescent, Penrith, received 14 years, while Fleming, of South Dyke, near Penrith, who "cased" the shop moments before the raid, was given 16 years.

Judge Batty told Harron: "It was a truly evil act that you and your partners in crime did on that day."