A STUDENT who staged a robbery at the Huddersfield fast food restaurant where he worked has been sentenced to eight months' custody.

Bradford Crown Court heard that Mohammed Dogar, 20, was a shift manager at Burger King in King Street. He then teamed up with Omar Farooq, 24, to steal more than £6,000 from the safe.

Prosecutor John Edwards said Dogar, of Central Avenue, Fartown, knew the combination of the safe and also had keys to open the premises early in the morning.

At 7am one Sunday Dogar let Farooq, of Staincross Avenue, Crosland Moor, into the restaurant. After he opened the safe the money was put in a sports bag.

Mr Edwards said Dogar was punched by Farooq to add realism and Dogar then cut himself on the neck with a pair of scissors.

Farooq then fled with the money, which he hid in his bedroom.

"Dogar reported the robbery and made a statement to the police," said Mr Edwards.

"He said an unknown robber had come up behind him as he opened the door, held something sharp to his back and made him go in and open the safe."

Dogar later named Farooq as the robber and said he had been threatened to go along with the offence.

Most of the money was recovered.

Farooq pleaded guilty to theft at the earliest opportunity and Mr Edwards said he had been ready to give evidence against Dogar.

Dogar eventually pleaded guilty to theft and perverting the course of justice. He was ordered to serve his custodial sentence in a young offenders' institution.

Farooq was made the subject of a 100-hour community punishment order and ordered to pay £127 compensation to Burger King.

Barrister Richard Butters, for Dogar, said his client had just started a four-year degree course at Huddersfield University.

"Because of this act of utter stupidity he's put his future in serious jeopardy," said Mr Butters.

Dogar still maintained he was not the main instigator behind the offence and that he would have received £1,000 for his part, said Mr Edwards.

But Judge Roger Scott said Dogar was "totally unreliable" and a consumate liar.

Judge Scott warned Farooq that if he failed to do the community service work he would face being locked up for four months.