A man who robbed a bank in Stalybridge for the second time in a decade has been jailed for six years.

Anthony Horrocks, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to robbery, possession of an offensive weapon, affray, and possession of class A and class B drugs.

The 46-year-old was sentenced at Manchester's Minshull Street Crown Court.

On 20 September 2021, Horrocks entered the NatWest bank on Melbourne Street, holding a carrier bag with an unknown item inside.

He approached the counter, put the bag against the glass barrier and said: "Give me all the money in the till or I will shoot you." 

The cashier handed over £2,720, with the incident captured on CCTV at the bank.

Police located Horrocks three days later at an address in Ashton. When officers entered the property, they found the suspect holding a knife to the throat of the female occupant and threatening to stab her.

He was subsequently tasered and arrested, and found to be in possession of drugs including heroin and cannabis.

In 2012, Horrocks was convicted of four business robberies and possession of an imitation firearm, which he took into banks in a carrier bag and demanded money - one of the banks was the same NatWest branch on Melbourne Street.

Detective Constable Ryan O'Hanlon, of Tameside CID, said: "Horrocks is a dangerous man with an extensive history of violent offending involving use of firearms.

"He has been convicted after putting hard-working bank staff through a terrifying ordeal for his own personal greed.

"He has further shown disregard for other people's safety when he has been arrested by police and has again used violence towards a vulnerable member of the public.

"Bringing Horrocks to justice was a team effort by police at Tameside and is a reminder to anyone thinking that they can make easy money through committing serious crime that we will find you and we will put you before a court."

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