A woman who wrapped her scarf round the face of a man moments before he held up a bookmaker at gunpoint has been jailed for two years, ten months and two weeks.

Taylor Croft was seen on CCTV in an alleyway close to the Old Town store covering over the face of the armed robber to try and disguise him. But the 42-year-old insisted she had no idea Michael King was going to use an imitation firearm to threaten the female cashier in Corals on Victoria Road.

She had been due to face sentence alongside the 38-year-old gunman at Swindon Crown Court last month but failed to attend the hearing. However a warrant was issued for her arrest and she was brought before a judge in custody.

Colin Meeke, prosecuting, said shortly before 9pm on Friday January 12 King went into the bookie’s armed with what he claimed was a realistic looking water pistol. “He had a scarf wrapped round his face and he pointed a pistol at her demanding the money,” he said.

The terrified worker ran out to the back of the shop and King snatched £300 in cash.

Mr Meeke said “This defendant’s part was picked up on CCTV of the area. In a back alley near the store she is seen making several to wrap round the scarf. She makes many efforts to get it right. She is involved in the disguising of him before he went in. She said she had been drinking most of the day, drinking with Michael King.”

Croft, formerly of Deerhurst Way, Toothill, but now of Walter Close, The Prinnells, admitted robbery.

Emma Handslip, defending, said her client’s life had been blighted by trauma in recent years, leaving her very vulnerable. The CCTV showed how intoxicated she was at the time of the offence as she could hardly stand, she said, and was also on class A drugs at the time.

Miss Handslip said her client deeply regretted what she had done and apologised for the trauma caused to the victim.

Jailing her Judge Jason Taylor QC said “The CCTV showed you giving your co accused your scarf and you helped to disguise him on many occasions until you got it right. Your role was hiding his identity and you had no knowledge of the weapon. The fact is you played an integral role in this robbery.”

Last month King, of Olivier Road, Abbeymeads, was jailed for five years and three months for robbery, possessing an imitation firearm and two burglaries.