(L-R) Callum Duncan, Callum Green, Mohammed Ruman Khan, Reece Gillon, Devlin Wooton, Reece Brown, Daniel Davis, John Wilson, and Mark Oliver(Image: Northumbria Police and Durham Constabulary)

Armed and dangerous: The weapon wielding robbers who tried to intimidate people during shocking crimes

by · ChronicleLive

In the cases listed below, armed robbers tried to intimidate people with weapons in order to commit their shocking crimes. The nine cowardly offenders have now been dealt with in court, and they are paying for their heinous actions.

From Newcastle to Northumberland, and Sunderland to Teesside, the cases here impacted communities and businesses across the North East. Now, those who have perpetrated these crimes have been brought to justice, which is preventing further places from being targeted.

In one case, masked robber Reece Gillon stole cash from a petrol station after pointing a knife at a worker's chest, wearing a balaclava and armed with a six-inch blade when he entered the Asda garage on Front Street in Prudhoe, Northumberland, saying to a staff member: "Open the till, give me the money".

Continue below to take a closer look at each of these cases, and find out more about the armed robbers who were brought down by the court system.

Did you know you can make ChronicleLive a preferred source of North East news in Google, which will mean you get more of our breaking news, exclusives, and must-read stories straight away? Here's more information about what this means and how to do it - you can also do it straight away by clicking here.

ChronicleLive has created a dedicated WhatsApp community for breaking news and our biggest stories. You can join this WhatsApp community here. It will keep you up-to-date with news as it breaks and our top stories of the day sent directly to your phone.

Callum Duncan and Callum Green

Armed thugs attacked a house with an axe and crossbow while a pregnant woman was inside. The shocked occupants found themselves under attack in the early hours as Callum Duncan smashed through the front door with an axe and Callum Green fired a crossbow at and into the property in Newbiggin Hall, Newcastle.
It was on November 22 last year around 2am that Green and Duncan went the home where two women, one of them pregnant, were present with their partners. After going back and forth from the house to a car, Duncan damaged the front door and windows with an axe.
One of the women saw Green had a crossbow, which he shot towards the house, with the bolt getting stuck in a window. Emily Sanderson, prosecuting, said: "He then fired the crossbow through the broken front door and it landed inside but luckily didn't make contact with anyone. Duncan was shouting 'shoot it again, shoot it again'."
In relation to that offence, Duncan. 19, of Fawdon Lane, Fawdon, Newcastle, admitted affray, criminal damage and possessing an axe, while Green, 21, of Naworth Drive, West Denton, admitted affray and possessing the crossbow.
Duncan was jailed for a total of 30 months, Green got 20 months suspended for 21 months with 100 hours unpaid work and Stewart got 12 months suspended for 21 months with 100 hours unpaid work. Read the full story here.

Mohammed Ruman Khan

An armed robber has been sentenced to nearly 14 years in prison after threatening a family at knifepoint and making off with £30,000 worth of gold.
Mohammed Ruman Khan, 22, from Newcastle, knocked on the front door of a property in Alum Rock, Birmingham, before forcing his way inside and brandishing a blade at the occupants.
West Midlands Police confirmed that a woman sustained injuries during a struggle, before Khan fled the scene with gold, clothing and perfume. Two of the woman's relatives attempted to retrieve the stolen items but were threatened with a weapon as Khan made his getaway, according to police.
Following the raid in April, they managed to photograph him, which proved instrumental in aiding the police investigation, reports Birmingham Live. Khan was subsequently tracked down to the North East, where Northumbria Police officers arrested him, and he was charged with aggravated burglary, pleading guilty.
Khan received a total sentence of 13 years and ten months, handed down at Newcastle Crown Court on Friday, July 10. Read the full story here.(Image: Northumbria Police)

Reece Gillon

A masked robber stole cash from a petrol station after pointing a knife at a worker's chest. Reece Gillon was wearing a balaclava and armed with a six-inch blade when he entered the Asda garage on Front Street in Prudhoe, Northumberland.
Newcastle Crown Court heard how a member of staff was working alone at 7.25am. The 34-year-old pointed the knife at his chest and told him "Open the till, give me the money".
Neil Pallister, prosecuting, told the court how the worker opened the till and Gillon, who was also wearing a black jacket, stole £178.12. The worker contacted the police following the incident on April 26 this year.
The prosecutor said: "Police attended the area and began a search and a kitchen knife with a six-inch blade was recovered from a grassed area close to the crime scene."
Gillon, of Acorn Square, Prudhoe, Northumberland, pleaded guilty to robbery and having a bladed article at a previous hearing. He appeared in court to be sentenced via a video link to Durham prison, and was sentenced to three-and-a-half-years in prison. Read the full story here.(Image: Northumbria Police)