An ex-Bradford City footballer has been jailed for eight years for being a getaway driver in an armed robbery at a Huddersfield Post Office which netted £16,000.
Bradford-born Lewis Emanuel, 30, plotted with three other men who carried an imitation firearm and wore balaclavas to raid a Post Office in Skelmanthorpe .
A three-year-old girl was ordered to lie on the floor with her mother and grandmother while waiting four minutes for the timelock on the safe to be opened.
The postmistress Jill Brennan, 50, was confronted by two men in balaclavas who shouted: “Give us the money, give us the money.”
She was described as looking white with fear.
Mr Emanuel, of Lowfield Close, Bradford, and Mr Craig Ward, 26, of Lindale Road, Bradford, both pleaded guilty to a charge of robbery and possession of a firearm with intent and appeared for sentence at Hull Crown Court today.
Emanuel, a left back who played 139 league games for Bradford, claimed he was only the getaway driver of the second vehicle – a Ford transit van Crown barrister Anthony Dunne said two men thrust a blue Ikea bag on the counter and ordered Mrs Brennan to fill it.
She put the content of the till inside £1,000 but the men demanded she opened the safe.
Each time a customer came in they were ordered to the floor. A text message between Emanuel wife Kristy and the wife of Ward after the robbery said: “I thought they might have got more.”
Clearly a reference to Mr Emanuel involvement,” said Mr Dunn.
He said cell phone analysis of the GPS position of Emanuel’s telephone showed he was carrying out reconnaissance on the post office in Commercial Road prior to May 24.
Defence barrister Andrew Walker said: “Mr Emanuel was once a man who had the world at his feet. quite literally. He played professional football appearing at Wembley and appearing in the Premier League. However, he did not play for the likes of Manchester United, but for teams at the lower rungs of the league including Luton and Bradford City. He suffered an injury to his foot which ironically did not occur on the football pitch, but more simply at home.
"The compensation payable to him was not like that given to the players at the top of the ladder. The amount he did received was barely enough to pay for a car. He ended up scratching around for a living. He found himself at the bottom of the pile and depressed. He is easily led and missing in the wrong circle, which lead to this offence.
"If he could take it back he would.”
He said the sentence would hit his children aged ten years, five years and four years the hardest as they would not see their dad.
The court heard Ward had 19 previous convictions and had served a 21-month sentence for causing actual bodily harm.
Sentencing them both to eight years in prison Judge Simon Jack said: “I have to sentence you for a very serious offence of robbery. A firearm was carried, all-be-it a realistic imitation. Balaclavas were worn. There were two vehicles, one which was burnt out and it was carried out with a degree of persistence.
"I have heard that you both had difficulties with your careers. You have both lost your jobs through misfortune. That is regrettable, but no excuse for what you did. I accept in your case Emanuel that but for your injury and the end of your football career, you would not be here. But the same could not necessarily be said for you Ward.”
He said despite Emanuel playing a lesser role, he took part in planning, knew the target and what was going to happen.”
Emanuel dressed in blued tracksuit bottoms and a green Nike polo shirt watched as members of his family cried in the public gallery.
He was led away in cuffs below court to a waiting prison van.
