THREE masked armed robbers including two Widnes men were jailed for just two years last week while the security guard they bound and gagged is still suffering.
On Friday Warrington Crown Court heard that in December, last year, four men, wearing masks and armed with baseball bats and crowbars, robbed Biffa Waste Services, off the M62, Risley.
The court heard that the security guard Ian Mullin was tied up with tape, gagged and threatened.
Mr Mullin, who now has to claim incapacity benefit after his ordeal, said: "I thought it was disgusting: two years for what they have done. I can hardly go out now. I suffer from depression and anxiety. Any slight noise I jump at."
He now has to take anti-depressants and sleeping tablets and suffers from blackouts and flashbacks.
Jonathon Sunderland, aged 18, of Northway, along with Jonathon Penney, aged 20, of Irwell Street, Widnes, and Lloyde McGuire, aged 20, of Wrights Crescent, Widnes, pleaded guilty to robbery.
But Jonathon Parkes, aged 23, of Whitchurch Way, Runcorn, has absconded and police have issued a warrant for his arrest.
Sunderland, Penney and McGuire maintained that they played a small role in the robbery.
Det Con Gordon Livingstone, of Warrington CID, said that the sentence was "hardly a deterrent" and was lenient considering what the victim suffered.
The court heard that the gang were loading up £2,000 worth of computer equipment when they were disturbed.
Judge David Hale said: "This was a serious robbery but I'm prepared to sentence you all on the basis that Parkes was the person who thought of it, set it up, and recruited you."
But he added that they knew what was happening and that they were all present when the guard was tied up.
Judge Hale said if this case had gone to trial and they had been found guilty they would have each got at least five years.
Penney and McGuire were sentenced to two years in prison while Sunderland got a two-year detention and training order.
