TWO masked robbers who took part in terrifying raids, in which thousands of pounds were stolen, have been jailed.

Stephen Miller, 41, of Loftus Road, Thornaby, Teesside, and Carl Henry, 32, of Eastmount Road, Darlington, were described as "violent, dangerous men" by police.

Teesside Crown Court heard how Miller used an imitation handgun in two North Yorkshire robberies in which staff were tied up and threatened.

The robberies at the Hollywood Plaza cinema, in Scarborough, and a working men's club in Elder Road, Northallerton, netted more than £5,000 in cash.

Miller's accomplice and friend, Henry, who took part in the Northallerton raid, also carried a metal truncheon.

Christopher Attwooll, prosecuting, said in the first robbery, on November 27 last year, an assistant manager and a projectionist at the cinema were tied up with cable after being confronted by two men wearing balaclavas.

Miller, and an unnamed man, were said to have broken in through a fire door and waited for staff arriving for the afternoon matinee.

Miller held the imitation gun centimetres from the face of assistant manager Emma Barker, and grabbed the keys to the cinema's safe.

The raid, in which £3,542 was taken, later featured on the BBC television programme Crimewatch.

In the second robbery at the working men's club on January 22 this year a cleaner was confronted by Henry, who was wearing a stocking over his head and carrying a metal truncheon.

Mr Attwooll said that when manager Peter Ford arrived shortly afterwards with his partner he had the gun pushed into his back by Miller who asked him where the money was.

All three were tied up and £2,223 was taken after the robbers gained access to the safe.

Security cameras filmed the robbers in the Northallerton raid and they were arrested in an armed police operation.

Miller pleaded guilty to two counts of robbery and possessing an imitation firearm and Henry admitted robbery.

Stephen Ashurst, for Miller, said: "He expresses publicly his regret for what happened."

Peter Makepeace, for Henry, said he had been unaware that the gun was being used.

Henry was jailed for eight years and Miller for 15 years.

Sentencing them, Judge Peter Fox said those involved in the robberies had been put in dreadful fear of their lives.

Afterwards Detective Inspector Dai Malyn, of Northallerton CID, who led the police investigation into the robberies, said: "These were both very nasty attacks, which left the victims very distressed and traumatised.

"I am very pleased that these two violent, dangerous men will be in prison for a very long time."