A VIOLENT robber caught on camera during a gunpoint robbery of a bookmakers is today starting a five-year jail term.

Paul Martin Rathbone, aged 26, made no attempt to cover his face as he pointed the gun at terrified cashiers working in Ladbrokes in Chorley New Road, Horwich.

He managed to escape with £485 and fled by car with false numberplates - but was only caught when the vehicle was broken into 250 miles away.

The silver Peugeot hire car that Rathbone used in the robbery was discovered by hotel staff in Hampshire with a smashed window and police found the false plates when they were called to the scene.

Police linked the plates to the robbery and also discovered the handgun inside the car.

Rathbone from Rosyth, Scotland, admitted robbery and possession of an imitation firearm - but said he committed the hold-up at the spur of the moment.

Recorder Martin Biddle said: "There appear to be some elements of planning here although bizarrely you made no attempt to cover your face.

"The gun was an air pistol but had the appearance of being very real."

Rathbone struck at the betting shop at 7.15pm on April 4 this year, calmly walking in and sitting down to fill out a betting slip before walking to the counter and producing the gun from the inside pocket of his jacket and pointing it at the cashiers.

They handed over £485 and Rathbone fled.

The robbery was caught on CCTV cameras in the store and a passer-by noted the registration of the getaway car.

Police were called to Basingstoke the following day and questioned Rathbone at the hotel where he made a full admission, said Louise Brandon, prosecuting.

He told police he had caught the train to Wigan from Scotland after losing his job and becoming depressed and wanted to travel around the UK.

Rathbone hired a car in Wigan, where, he told police, he ran low on money and planned to fill up with fuel at a petrol station and drive off without paying.

He said he fitted the car with the false plates which he claimed to have found in a bin but came across the bookmakers before finding a petrol station and went to place a bet.

The court heard that Rathbone told police that the air pistol belonged to his father and he had not realised it was inside the jacket, but after realising it was there, decided to rob the cashiers.

Julie Wightman, defending, said: "The defendant has no previous record for any sort of criminal activity and is still trying to come to terms with what he did.

"His family are very shocked."