FOUR men whose plan to rob a Bradford business of thousands of pounds was thwarted by armed police have been jailed for a total of 21-and-a-half years.

David Hindle, Shahid Farooq, Benjamin Bateman and Leon Donovan were all sentenced at Bradford Crown Court today for conspiracy to rob P&B Foods, based in Prologis Park in Rooley Lane, on December 19 last year.

Prosecutor Alisdair Campbell told the court how Hindle had “professionally planned” the robbery with Farooq and Bateman, following the firm’s accountant on his route to the bank in Bradford city centre in a stolen car on false plates, using inside information from Donovan, who worked at P&B.

Hindle, the “career criminal who was the driving force behind the conspiracy”, Farooq and Bateman followed the accountant to the bank before waiting in the car for him, but were boxed in and swooped upon by plain-clothes armed police and arrested.

During the arrest Hindle rammed the cars in front of and behind him to try and escape.

Hindle, Farooq and Bateman all pleaded guilty on the first two days of the trial. Donovan pleaded not guilty but was found guilty by a jury.

Sentencing Judge Jonathan Simpson told the men the plan was a “sophisticated conspiracy to rob”.

He said: “There were four of you involved in targeting the cash takings of a large and significant business.

“The accountant banked £300,000 to £500,000 a week in cheques, and it was an inside job that relied on information supplied by Donovan.

“It involved the acquisition of a stolen car and used false plates, gloves and switching the plates again.

“Surveillance was conducted over two days on the victim to establish his route and the location of where to attack him.

“Hindle and Farooq were leading roles in this conspiracy, and was organised criminality. Donovan was the inside man who without him this would not have happened.”

David Hindle, 39, of Broadlea View, Bramley, Leeds, was sentenced to a total of seven years; six years three months for conspiracy to rob, and two years for handling stolen goods, to be served concurrently, and nine months for dangerous driving served consecutively.

Shahid Farooq, 31, of Crescent Walk, Clayton, received four years for conspiracy to rob and two years for handling stolen goods, served concurrently.

Benjamin Bateman, 29, of Rushmoor Road, Holme Wood, received four-and-a-half years for conspiracy to rob.

Leon Donovan, 36, of Queenshill Avenue, Moortown, Leeds, was handed six years for conspiracy to rob.

Judge Simpson commended officers from West Yorkshire Police for their work in stopping the robbery and helping bring about the four men’s successful convictions.