A MAN who carried out a terrifying armed raid on a bookies in Bury has been jailed for life.

Albanian immigrant Elis Rrukaj was one of two men who stormed the Tote bookmakers in Tottington Road on August 13 last year and held a gun to the head of assistant manager Gemma Postle.

They also threatened two male customers before stealing £800 in cash.

Rrukaj was also involved in a string of other brutal robberies on bookmakers across the country. The 21-year-old pistol-whipped his terrified victims into submission and repeatedly prodded one with a stun gun until he agreed to open the safe.

Rrukaj targeted seven bookmakers and a pizzeria in Uxbridge.

At the Old Bailey in London on Friday, Rrukaj was given eight concurrent life sentences for each of the robberies. He was also jailed for five years concurrent for possessing an imitation firearm and four years for grievous bodily harm on Mr Austin-Smith.

The judge also recommended the 21-year-old be deported back to his homeland once he has served his prison-term.

Rrukaj, of Wellington Road, Crumpsall, pleaded guilty to eight counts of robbery, eight counts of possession of an intimation firearm with intent, and causing grievous bodily harm.

Speaking to the Bury Times shortly after the Tote raid last year, branch manager Noreen Deakin described how assistant manager Gemma Postle and teller Barbara Ong were on duty when two men walked in. Brandishing a handgun, they ordered two customers to get on the floor and went through the men's pockets, stealing a hundreds pounds.

Mrs Deakin said at the time: "Gemma was grabbed and gun held against her as the men went to the office door which was locked. They began kicking it in and got in to steal around £600. Barbara locked herself in the toilets which was the sensible thing."

Mrs Deakin this week said Gemma has since left her job with the Tote and moved on.

"I can't comment on how Gemma feels about this man being jailed for life but personally he got what he most definitely deserved," she said.