TWO teenage villains - one a schoolboy playing truant - have been detained for a bungled hooded raid on a Barnoldswick post office.

The duo, James Hamilton Cooper, 16, and Anthony Myers, 17, watched a second-rate video about a robbery, and fancied themselves as "tough guys," Burnley Crown Court heard.

The pair, who were chased from Coates post office as they escaped empty-handed, were each sent to a young offenders institution for 16 months.

Sentencing Cooper, whose "God-fearing" family had seen them leave home for school, and Myers, who provided Cooper with a knife and clothing to change into from his school uniform for the raid attempt, Judge Ian Webster said only custody could be justified although they had confessed.

Cooper, of Park Avenue, and Myers, of Kirkstall Drive, both Barnoldswick, admitted attempted robbery in April.

Prosecutor, Mr Charles Brown, told the court Cooper went into the shop wearing a balaclava, demanded cash and carrying a five-inch knife.

Postmaster Brian Hogg at first thinking it was a joke, then ordered his assistant upstairs, got behind his "anti-bandit" screen and pressed the panic button. Cooper escaped and was pursued by two security guards from the nearby Rolls Royce factory but lost. Police later detained both defendants.

Mr Brown added a witness told how the duo had earlier had a cider-drinking contest and made a mask from an old jumper. Myers then went to the post office to "case the joint" before Cooper went in with the knife.

Mr Robert Crawford, defending Cooper, handed over testimonials, including one from his church, and said the offence was "entirely out of character." He came from a religious family and had been brought up in a "God-fearing" way, but had found that difficult to

live with and had rebelled.

He had tried to assert his independence, dabbled with cannabis and was desperately upset and ashamed by what he had done.

For Myers, Mr Dennis Watson, said the attempted robbery started out as an idea but was fuelled by drink, "and got out of control."

Mr Hogg undoubtedly suffered a horrifying and frightening experience, but the attempt was amateurish and out of Myers' league.

Myers, who had never been to custody before, was vulnerable and suggestible.

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