Two brothers have been jailed for their part in a bungled post office robbery.

Ryan Marshall and his friend Shoeb Karim held up the sub-post office at East Grinstead using plastic guns.

They escaped in a getaway car with £6,000 and handed it to Luke Marshall, who was waiting nearby in a second car.

Karim was arrested two hours later after one of the cars they used was traced to him.

The brothers were arrested the following day. Ryan Marshall, 21, of St Joan Close, Crawley, was jailed yesterday for five years for robbery and possessing an imitation firearm.

His brother Luke, 18, was given eight months in a young offenders' institution for handling stolen goods.

A jury at their trial at Hove Crown Court last month found him not guilty of taking part in the robbery after Ryan Marshall said he had not told his brother about the raid.

Karim, 21, of Charlock Close, Crawley, was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in a young offenders' institution for robbery and possessing an imitation gun.

Karim, who had already admitted his part in the hold-up, gave evidence against the brothers at their trial.

Judge Austin Issard-Davies told them: "I think the word stupid sums up both the concept and execution of this crime.

"But it must be made clear to everyone, the courts will protect shops, small businesses and carriers of money who are vulnerable to this kind of attack."

Richard Barton told the jury during a three-week trial that the raid was planned by Ryan Marshall, Karim and another of their friends.

He said Luke Marshall was drafted in as a last minute replacement when the third man pulled out.

Postmistress Muriel Whittington and assistant Patricia Brehme were confronted by two armed men shortly after they opened Sunnyside Store in Dunnings Road, East Grinstead, on July 14.

Ryan Marshall and Karim were wearing balaclavas and brandishing guns which the victims realised were plastic.

Mr Barton said the men fled the shop taking £6,000 in £10 notes and Karim helped himself to some lottery scratchcards from another counter as they left.

They got into a turquoise Vauxhall Corsa, which witnesses saw stop a few minutes later in nearby Coombe Hill Road, where a white Vauxhall Corsa belonging to Luke Marshall had been waiting.

A bag containing the proceeds of the robbery was handed from the getaway vehicle to the white car.

A post office customer had noted the number of the car and Karim was stopped by armed police as he arrived back at his Crawley home two hours later.

The balaclavas, guns, and scratchcards were in a bag in his car and £1,975 was found in his jacket.

Mobile phone records showed calls were made from phones belonging to the Marshall brothers in East Grinstead around the time of the robbery.

Rose Burns, defending Karim, said it was a "stupid and ill-conceived" robbery undertaken because his family was experiencing financial problems.

Rudi Fortson, defending Ryan Marshall, said he had "searched his soul" since the jury convicted him and now wanted to accept his guilt fully.

Barry Gregory, defending Luke Marshall, said he was a juvenile at the time of the robbery and his involvement had been minimal.

Yesterday, Detective Sergeant Dave Byng, one of the investigating officers, said: "We are very pleased. The sentences should act as a deterrent to anyone who considers targeting vulnerable shops and small businesses."