ARMED robbers who left staff shaken and scared in their own workplace, after threatening to 'slice them up', have been sentenced to a combined total of nearly 12 years in prison.

Jack Thompson, aged 22, from Kersal Hall Avenue in Salford, and Kyle Meighan, aged 24, from Chancel Avenue in Salford, forced their way into the Carphone Warehouse in Prestwich wielding a machete and a sledgehammer respectively.

Three staff were present during the robbery, as were two customers, young women, who were crying during the ordeal which lasted several minutes.

Thompson, Meighan and another assailant who has not appeared before court and has not been named, made off with £35,000 worth of smartphones.

Bury Times:

Left, Jack Thompson and Kyle Meighan who have been jailed for the raid on The Carphone Warehouse in Bury New Road, Prestwich

One staff member said after the attack: “I was shocked at shaken, I was numb.

“This is going to be in the back of my mind for quite some time.

“I have never been through anything like this before.”

The robbery happened on April 3 this year at approximately 4.20pm, when the two defendants and their unknown accomplice rushed into the phone shop in Bury New Road.

Threatening staff with the weapons, one of the robbers was said to have shouted at a staff member: “Go to the safe or I’ll slice you up.”

To another, one shouted: “Get your hands up and don’t f***ing try anything.”

When staff said they did not have access to the safe, the robbers decided to take some of the stock instead.

Thompson, Meighan and the other man then stole 32 iPhones and 33 Samsung smartphones, running out of the store to a back street where a car, which had been parked hours earlier, waited for them.

More unknown men in motorcycle helmets were seen on CCTV to be waiting for them. They all escaped, some on mopeds and some in the car.

Police arrested Thompson and Meighan having traced their fingerprints to the mobile phone packages and the car.

Sentencing, Judge Greene, said: “They knew what they were doing and what they were going for, it was professional, with planning and had high commercial value.”

Speaking directly to the defendants, he added: “You stormed into the shop where there were two young customers who were terrified by what they saw.

“You threatened workers with the weapons and threatened to slice them up, before stealing £35,000 worth of mobile phones.”

Judge Greene said the facts that there was planning involved and they disguised themselves with motorcycle helmets were significant aggravating factors.

“Also, it took quite a few minutes, it was not all over in a short space of time and witnesses have talked about being shocked, overwhelmed and nervous,” added Judge Greene.

He added that, although nobody was physically harmed in the attack, it had caused great distress for the staff and customers.

Defending Meighan, Martin Pizzey said despite their being evidence the attack was planned, it was nonetheless an amateur operation, motivated by short-term financial gain.

Mr Pizzey said: "The details of this crime are not going to be appearing in a feature film any time soon."

Thompson and Meighan had both previously admitted to the robbery and were sentenced on Monday at Minshull Street Crown Court in Manchester.

Meighan received a sentence of five years and four months, Thompson received six years and four months – the extra year included for a separate charge of stealing a motorcycle.