TWINS are starting almost identical prison sentences after being jailed on the same day in the same court for separate offences.

James Longworth was given a four-year sentence at Durham Crown Court on Friday afternoon for a robbery at a village bookmakers’ premises, last month.

Several hours earlier, his 25-year-old sibling, Jordan, was jailed at the same court for three years and ten-and-a-half months for attempting to smuggle a package of drugs into prison for his brother and for a drug-fuelled dangerous driving escapade during which five cars were badly damaged.

The court heard drugs played a part in all the offending by the Longworths, both of Scafell Close, Peterlee, as their counsel, Martin Scarborough, told the court James carried out the robbery, in which he escaped with a four-figure sum, to help relieve some of brother Jordan’s drug debts.

He pleaded guilty to charges of robbery and possessing an offensive weapon, the hammer, both on October 6, plus escaping from lawful custody and assaulting a police officer by beating, in the course of being re-detained, which each took place on October 9.

Jonathan Harley, prosecuting, said Longworth entered the William Hill betting shop in Sixth Street, Horden, at about 7.30pm on Saturday, October 6, wearing a stocking over his face and brandishing the hammer.

He jumped over the counter, held the hammer up, threatening the lone female cashier, and ordered her to empty the till and the safe of takings of more than £3,000.

Longworth then marched her towards the toilets, but, finding them locked, he made her stand in the corner.

His parting shot as he left was to tell her he knew where she lived.

“A search of the area with police dogs led to the find of a piece of stocking material, between the betting shop and the defendant’s home.”

The stocking carried Longworth’s DNA and, when he was arrested, police found a hammer bearing a similar logo as described by the betting shop assistant, as well as cut-up tights in a bin outside his home.

In her victim statement, the betting shop worker said: “It was terrifying.

“I thought he was going to hit me on the head.

“I remember thinking I was going to die. I remember thinking my mam is going to have to bury me.”

On his arrest, Longworth told police he had stored drugs in his rectum and was taken to Sunderland Royal Hospital.

During the visit he claimed he needed the toilet and tried to escape, but he was chased, caught and overpowered by officers using CS spray.

Mr Harley said during his interview Longworth spat in an officer’s face.

In mitigation, Mr Scarborough told Judge Christopher Prince: “It would appear the motivation behind the robbery was that his brother was in some difficulty financially.

“There is a drugs background.

“Your honour might be aware he has a twin brother.

“In fact, I represented his twin when he appeared at this court in the morning for another offence.

“As it turns out, both men have appeared for sentence on the same day.”

Passing sentence, Judge Prince made an indefinite restraining order prohibiting him from approaching the cashier. He said: “Employees should not have to tolerate such a terrifying ordeal as this and police officers should not have to tolerate being spat at.”

Earlier, in the day Jordan Longworth also appeared by video link from nearby Durham Prison, for sentence.

He previously admitted conveying prohibited items – diazepam and the so-called ‘zombie drug’ spice – into Holme House Prison, near Stockton, during a visit to see his twin, who was serving a sentence there, on July 5, last year.

Mark Giuliani said a monitoring officer was him with and spotted a suspicious package in his hand, and he was challenged.

Following a scuffle, the package was taken from him and it contained 1.14g of spice and eight diazepam pills.

Longworth was also sentenced for a spate of deliberate collisions in a hire car in Peterlee town centre, after taking drugs, between 4.30pm and 5pm, on March 5.

He admitted dangerous driving, failing to stop after an accident and causing an affray during his later arrest.

Passing sentence, Judge Jonathan Carroll said all his offending was near the top end of the range for such crimes. He also banned Longworth from driving for 47 months.