A GANG of seven men have been jailed for a total of 92 years for conspiring to cause explosions at cash machines and pocketing the ill-gotten gains.

The group stole more than £550,000 and caused more than £160,000 worth of damage in attacks on ATMs at 13 banks and supermarkets in England and Scotland.

This includes targeted attacks on the ATM on Common Lane on April 4, 2015, and months later on October 17, 2015.

The men scoped out the premises in high-performance cars, which they would steal and use in the offences, with evidence showing them using Audi RS4s and RS6s as well as Mercedes A45s and GLA45 AMGs.

Senior crown prosecutor Maria Corr from the Crown Prosecution Service, who has worked on the case since the beginning, said: "These men were ruthless, organised criminals who conspired to cause explosions and burgle banks up and down the country. 

“They thought nothing of using powerful explosives to blow up cash machines in residential areas, putting nearby residents in real danger. In fact, they targeted cash machines in quieter areas, because they thought it’d be less likely that they’d be detected. 

“They stole high performance fast cars to order to use as getaway cars and drove from the scene of their crimes at terrifying speeds, again at great risk to the public, to avoid arrest."

It was reported how the gang used cloned number plates to avoid detection while members dressed in black and covered their faces with ski masks and balaclavas.

Ms Corr added: "They were eventually tracked down by painstaking investigation involving detailed scrutiny of CCTV, DNA from items found in the abandoned getaway cars and interrogation of their mobile phones and satellite navigation tools, again found in the cars. 

“These men, like most criminals, think they’re too clever to be caught. They were wrong."

Andrew White, 28, from St Helens, was sentenced to 19 years’ imprisonment with a further two years on license. He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit burglary and was found guilty of conspiracy to cause explosions.

Anthony White, 26, from Huyton, was sentenced to 16 years in jail after being found guilty of conspiracy to commit burglary and conspiracy to cause explosions.

Nanu Miah, 28, from Birmingham, was sentenced to life imprisonment. He will be only eligible to apply for parole after a minimum of nine years. Miah pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit burglary and was found guilty of conspiracy to cause explosions.

Anthony Conroy, 29, from Wavertree, was sentenced to 12 years’ imprisonment after pleading guilty to both offences.

Carl Cavanagh, 33, from Huyton was sentenced to 11 years’ imprisonment having pleaded guilty to both offences.

Michael Galea, 41, from Prescot, was sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment. Galea was found guilty of both offences.

Gary Carey, 40, from Liverpool, was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment to commence at the completion of his current sentence. Carey was found guilty of conspiracy to cause an explosion.