A prisoner has been jailed for carrying out a £25,000 armed robbery while on day release.

Neil Corrigan, 28, from Dover, was let out of Stamford Hill prison when - armed with an imitation handgun - he held up a security van at the back of Barclays bank at Swanley.

He escaped with £25,000 cash which was never recovered.

Corrigan's getaway driver was Ricky Johnson, 25, of no fixed address, who on the morning of the robbery last August, paid £340 cash for a second hand Rover at a garage behind Kwik Fit in Dartford.

He and Corrigan then parked the vehicle near the bank and Johnson was on the phone to Corrigan to give him the nod when to snatch the cash.

Timing was crucial, said prosecutor Allister Walker, and both then fled in the Rover which was later found burnt out.

Corrigan, of Hobart Crescent, and Johnson both admitted conspiracy to rob on August 11.

Corrigan further admitted possessing an imitation handgun with intent to commit robbery.

They appeared for sentence at Canterbury Crown Court when Corrigan was jailed for 11 years.

At the time of the robbery he was at the open prison on Sheppey, nearing the end of a nine year nine months sentence also for robbery and conspiracy to steal.

Johnson was jailed for nine years Judge Simon James concluding he had played a lesser part than his co-accused.

Judge James told Corrigan, who also had previous convictions for wounding, threats to kill and assault, in both his recent offences, he had chosen to utilise violence or the threat of violence to steal.

In the Swanley robbery, Corrigan had brandished a pistol at G4 Securicor guard Colin Smith shouting at Mr Smith to give him the money and thrust the gun against the guard's helmet visor.

He also tried to hit a second guard.

Johnson had also been at Stamford Hill but was released in April.

Corrigan was arrested in Dover in September, Johnson handed himself in to police a few days later.

His part was to source a vehicle and drive for £1,000.

Aron Rollin, for Corrigan, said he conceded it must have been a terrifying and frightening experience but said Corrigan was not masked and the gun, which was never recovered, was imitation.

He was under pressure to repay a debt and reverted to his old ways after threats against him and his partner.

While in custody he had gained a degree level in physical education and training and was about a week away from release when he committed the robbery.

"He had expressed remorse and is making progress but because of the time he can expect to serve it is hard to see what kind of career he could make of it," said Mr Rollin.

Paul Andrew, for Johnson, said he had lived most of his life in the Dartford area and at the time had no fixed home and was struggling to work as he did not want to claim benefits.

He turned to drugs after his mother's suicide and was mixing with the wrong crowd.

His relationship with his partner broke down but he manage to de-tox himself when he went abroad for a few months.

The offence was out of character, said Mr Andrew.