Worksop masked robbers behind ‘terrifying’ armed Boxing Day raid have sentences slashed

Three Worksop robbers behind a “truly terrifying” £29,000 Boxing Day raid on a working men’s club had their sentences slashed by top judges this week.

Shane Mark McMillan, 31, Thomas Marvell, 28, and Nathan Robert Goudercourt, 21, were all jailed at Sheffield Crown Court in April.

They admitted a string of charges relating to the December 2013 raid on the Carcroft Working Men’s Club, in Carcroft, near Doncaster.

The gang, from Worksop, scouted out the club the evening before they struck, Lady Justice Sharp told London’s Criminal Appeal Court.

They were acting on “inside information” about the location of the club’s safe, she added.

They knew the safe would be filled with cash because a party had recently taken place there.

The club’s proprietor and his partner were asleep when the trio stormed in, said the judge.

Goudercourt clamped a screwdriver to the woman’s neck to reinforce their threats for cash.

An imitation double-barrelled shotgun was carried by McMillan, while Marvell bore a spade to further terrorise their victims.

The raiders finally fled with over £29,000 in cash, the court heard, leaving the couple deeply traumatised.

McMillan, of Netherton Road, Worksop, was jailed for 12 years, with a four-year extended licence period, after he admitted robbery and having an imitation firearm.

Marvell, of Vicars Walk, Worksop, received a 14-year jail term, with a two-year extended licence, and Goudercourt, of no known address, got 10 years. All three appealed their sentences, claiming they were far too tough.

Lady Justice Sharp, sitting with Mrs Justice Nicola Davies and Judge Simon Bourne-Arton QC, said the gang had subjected their victims to a horrific ordeal.

“All three men were motivated by financial gain,” she said.

All had wished to clear their debts through crime, Lady Justice Sharp said, although McMillan had used his share of the spoils to “buy gifts for his children”.

“The consequences of this robbery has been profound for the victims, with a continuing impact on their professional and personal lives”.

But the judge went on to rule that Marvell and McMillan had wrongly been branded “dangerous” offenders.

Marvell’s jail term was cut to 12 years and both men had their extended licence periods overturned.

Goudercourt, who played no part in scouting out the club, had his sentence reduced to seven years and three months.

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