Two men filmed carrying out 'bizarre' robbery are jailed

George Nicol, 37, and David Fowler, 27, smashed a sewage truck through the glass doors of HSBC in Blantyre, Lanarkshire, in October of last year, causing almost £200,000 worth of damage.

Dramatic images captured by closed-circuit cameras can be revealed for the first time after the pair were jailed at the High Court in Edinburgh.

Nicol was sentenced to five-and-a-half years, while Fowler was given five years.

Trial judge Lord Glennie described the pair's actions as bizarre. The court heard the pair stole the vehicle in a late-night raid from a firm in East Kilbride, South Lanarkshire.

A few hours later Nicol drove the truck to the call centre. Fowler followed in a Skoda Octavia that had false number plates and a sawn-off shotgun and ammunition in the boot.

The court heard that once the pair arrived at the premises, Nicol used the

vehicle to smash his way through the glass door.

Film of the incident showed the lorry driven into the deserted reception area, where Nicol aims it at a cash machine and hits the ATM.

When repeated attempts to ram the cash machine fail, the pair then take turns to hit the cash machine with a sledge hammer before leaving empty-handed.

The duo were arrested moments later, after a high-speed car chase. Police found the shotgun and ammunition in their possession.

The owners of the sewage truck lost up to £60,000 in business and face a bill of £50,000 to replace it.

Nicol and Fowler, prisoners of HMP Addiewell in West Lothian, pleaded guilty last month to theft, robbery and firearms charges.

Sentencing, Lord Glennie told them: "The only saving grace in this case is that the crime was carried out in such an incompetent fashion."

The advocate depute told Lord Glennie that the pair drove to HSBC's offices in Blantyre at 1.45am on October 20 last year.

The pair can then be seen on the CCTV footage speeding away.

Two police officers nearby saw the pair and chased them.

The police vehicle struck the rear of the getaway car to a halt, and Nicol and Fowler fled on foot before being arrested.

Nicol's defence advocate said the former garage owner had turned to crime because he had financial problems.

Fowler's solicitor advocate John Keenan told the court that his client also had financial difficulties.