'Haphazard' robbers who attacked Leeds ATM worker for £3,600 haul left trail of clues, including B&Q receipt
A pair of middle-aged bungling criminals carried out a terrifying robbery of a cash-in-transit worker, but left a trail of clues which led to their arrest.
John Battman and David Garland were both jailed at Leeds Crown Court this week for the planned knife-point robbery of the ATM worker at AK Off Licence in Beeston.
The pair made a long list of errors that proved their involvement, with one of their defence barristers even labelling their efforts as “haphazard”.
This included a receipt found for the coveralls worn during the robbery, and the use of a family member’s car to escape from the shop.
Video footage was found on Battman’s phone showing him scoping the shop days before, before turning the camera on himself and chuckling about there only being one ATM worker.
The court heard that the cash-in-transit worker attended the shop on Beeston Road on August 11 last year.
Shop CCTV played to the court showed him in the store filling up the ATM machine when two men in white coveralls and wearing balaclavas ran in and began demanding he open the safe.
One had a knife while the other was wielding a wooden club and hit the shocked helmet-wearing worker five times over the head.
In the struggle that ensued he also received a cut to this hand from the knife as the pair could be heard screaming at him. They got away with £3,670.
The worker suffered psychological trauma and was later forced to quit the job, the court heard.
But after detectives began investigating, street CCTV found the culprits had got out of a blue Ford Fiesta, traced to a member of Battman’s family.
One detective “had a hunch” and so went to the nearest B&Q and trawled CCTV footage until they spotted 48-year-old Battman buying two coverall suits days prior to the robbery.
They went to his home and arrested him. There they found balaclavas, the B&Q receipt and retrieved the deleted video of the shop on his phone.
He had also sent a message to 47-year-old Garland before the robbery telling him: “100 per cent it’s on, okay?”
Garland, who was later found to be the offender armed with the knife, was not arrested until January 17 of this year. Both he and Battman declined to answer questions during their police interview.
Garland, of Cardinal Avenue, Beeston, admitted robbery, possessing a weapon in public place and having a bladed article. He has 20 previous convictions for theft, ABH, burglary, robbery and dealing drugs.
Battman, of Parkfield Grove, Cross Flatts, admitted conspiracy to rob, possessing a weapon in public place and having a bladed article. He gave a basis of plea in that he was not present in the shop, but had helped plan the robbery, which was accepted by the Crown.
He has 43 previous convictions including burglaries, handling stolen goods and shoplifting.
Mitigating for Garland, Ismael Uddin said he had not taken the lead role in the robbery. He called it “unsophisticated” and “haphazard” given the amount of clues they left behind.
He said Garland had a difficult life and turned to crime. He said he had lost fingers on his left hand.
For Battman, Holly Clegg said he accepted being involved in the planning but was not alone. She said he had no robberies on his record and that shoplifting was his usual crime.
She said Battman was a father-of-two but his adult sons suffered with ADHD and autism. She said his marriage had also ended since he was remanded into custody.
Addressing both defendants, who appeared in court via video link from HMP Leeds, Judge Robin Mairs told them they were “entrenched” criminals.
He added: “It was a joint enterprise and you have the responsibility for planning and execution of it.
“You played different roles but both have in mind a singular end - the violent robbery and the stealing of cash-in-transit.”
He jailed Battman for eight years and eight months, and gave Garland eight years.