Hartlepool bank robber ordered to return thousands he stole in Barclays hold up

Gavin Wilson, 43, was jailed for nine years at Teesside Crown Court last October for robbing Barclays Bank on York Road, Hartlepool at gunpoint in June 2020.

He got away with over £15,000 in what the judge said was a “professionally planned” robbery.

Before he was sentenced, £6,110 was left anonymously at the offices of Wilson’s lawyers, Smith and Graham, in Hartlepool.

At a proceeds of crime hearing on Friday, November 25, he was ordered to pay back another £9,276 which was outstanding and was found to be an “available amount”.

Wilson, formerly of Pinero Grove, Hartlepool, was given 56 days to pay the money back.

During the robbery, he pointed a replica gun at people’s heads while wearing a balaclava mask and full camouflage suit.

He ordered a female member of staff to fill a bag with cash before escaping in a car driven by a friend who was unaware of what he had just done.

The court previously heard staff were left terrified and shaken and feared for their lives.

Wilson admitted robbery, possessing an imitation firearm and possessing a small amount of cocaine.

It was said he had got into debt after paying for his mother’s funeral and gambling.

The robbery happened at around 10am on a Friday morning when there were numerous customers inside at the time.

Wilson later tried to destroy the replica gun by burning it.

Support your Mail and become a subscriber today. Enjoy unlimited access to local news, the latest on Pools and new puzzles every day. With a digital subscription, you can see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content.

The Hartlepool Mail has been in town since 1877, and your support means we can continue telling your stories for generations to come. Click here to subscribe.