Robber who blew up cash machine in Langholm raid jailed

A robber who blew up a Langholm cash machine has been jailed for more than 10 years.

44-year-old Russell Snowdon and an accomplice burst open the cash machine at an RBS branch in Langhholm, Dumfriesshire, stealing over £45,000.

The court was told the blast was caused by the “ignition of a flammable gas and air mixture”.

The robbery took place around 1.40am on 11 November 2016 and was caught on CCTV.

A total of £8,950 of the stolen money was recovered having been left at the scene.

Snowdon paid £1,700 for a trip to Gambia in Africa for two weeks on 14 November 2016, days after the raid.

Travel agent staff spotted the bank notes were Scottish, but Snowden claimed he was given the money after selling a car there.

He was held by police shortly after landing back in the UK at Manchester Airport.

Snowdon pleaded guilty to a number of charges at the High Court in Glasgow, including stealing £45,080 from the RBS.

He also admitted trying to break-out of jail in Dumfries in March this year.

Snowdon was jailed for a total of around eight and a half years for the robbery offences and another two years were added for escaping from prison.

He was jailed in 2001 for manslaughter after hitting an elderly man as he stood at a bus stop.

He was also jailed for eight years in 2004 for his role in an armed robbery at a post office.