Alleged armed raider Craig Townend bragged to his ex-girlfriend how he would get rich by robbing the York City Art Gallery, a jury has heard.

And a former friend and business associate claimed the 29-year-old martial arts fan mimed cutting pictures from their frames during a day trip to the gallery in the summer of 1998.

After Townend was arrested for allegedly stealing 20 paintings from the gallery, he wrote to his ex-girlfriend, saying he would be spending 15 years in jail, the jury at York Crown Court heard.

Townend, 29, of Middle Avenue, Rawmarsh, Rotherham, denies robbery and carrying a firearm with intent. William Spence, 49, who lives at the same address, denies handling stolen goods.

The jury heard how police pulled both men from a car on a Rotherham industrial estate on May 17 and arrested them.

Alison English, of Doncaster, claimed that she "threw Craig out" at the end of their year living together, but they remained on friendly terms.

In January 1999, he rang her shortly after midnight.

"He immediately started bragging that he had come into fantastic amounts of money," she said.

Townend claimed he had bought a house, a four-wheel drive and a yacht.

He had also said he was "going to do, to rob a lot of pictures from an art gallery in York," alleged Mrs English.

"Did you believe him?" asked prosecutor Andrew Campbell QC.

"Of course not," she replied.

She read out a letter Townend wrote to her from The Wolds prison after his arrest: "Well, you have probably gathered from the television and news I will be spending the next 15 years residing at the above (address). As you know, the lure of easy money has always been my downfall. £1.7 million is a lot of money."

She added: "It appears he did do this."

Benjamin Brown, who worked in Townend's shop, claimed the pair visited York to inspect business premises in 1998. At Townend's suggestion, they toured the art gallery.

Townend allegedly told Mr Brown it would be "fairly easy" to take pictures because there were only two "elderly" attendants and no security cameras. He showed the jury how Townend had mimed cutting a picture out of its frame.

The trial continues.

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