TWO men who robbed a Little Chef restaurant near York have been jailed.

Kevin William Green, 26, and Keith Williams, 44, both pleaded guilty to robbing the Little Chef on the A64 at Bilbrough on November 8 last year.

Green was jailed for two years at York Crown Court while Williams, who was sentenced at Kingston-upon-Thames Crown Court, received an indefinite sentence with a recommendation that he serve a minimum of 11 years.

This was because, as well as the robbery, to which he pleaded guilty, he was found guilty following a trial of nine rapes, gross indecency with a child, indecent assault, two counts of making threats to kill, plus other sexual offences.

York Crown Court heard that Green, who was living in a hostel at the time of the robbery, played a minor part in the crime.

John Edwards, prosecuting, said the manager of the restaurant, Gary Ford, actually knew Green and greeted him when the pair came through the door at around 9.30pm.

Williams, no fixed address, but who was also living in Leeds at the time of the robbery, then issued threats, saying he had a knife and demanding cash. In total, he escaped with £348.45.

But Green stayed behind and actually apologised to Mr Ford and said he would try to get him his money back.

When interviewed by the police, Green denied having anything to do with the robbery.

Nicholas Barker, mitigating, said Green had a drink problem at the time of the offence and was drinking up to 20 pints of beer a day, along with spirits.

Mr Barker said: "I accept this is a serious matter but no violence was used and, while there was the threat of a weapon, none was seen and the defendant was not aware that Williams had a weapon."

Sentencing Green, Judge Paul Hoffman said: "I take into account that you've pleaded guilty and, at the time, you were a drunkard.

"It's plain to me that you very much played second fiddle in this case. It's plain you had no knowledge of what the other man intended.

"You joined in, but in a relatively minor role and one is struck by the fact that you apologised afterwards.

"Unusually in a case like this, which would normally attract a sentence of five to seven years, your sentence will be two years."