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| Man jailed over £1.7m Lowry raid | Man jailed over £1.7m Lowry raid |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| A man convicted of an "audacious and well-planned" raid to steal LS Lowry artworks valued at £1.7m has been given an indefinite jail sentence. | A man convicted of an "audacious and well-planned" raid to steal LS Lowry artworks valued at £1.7m has been given an indefinite jail sentence. |
| Casey Miller, 23, of Denton, Greater Manchester, was found guilty of robbery after posing as a postman to get into the home of art collector Ivan Aird. | Casey Miller, 23, of Denton, Greater Manchester, was found guilty of robbery after posing as a postman to get into the home of art collector Ivan Aird. |
| Manchester Crown Court heard how Miller threatened to kill Mr Aird's wife and young daughter during the raid in 2007. | Manchester Crown Court heard how Miller threatened to kill Mr Aird's wife and young daughter during the raid in 2007. |
| He must serve a minimum of five years and one month before parole. | He must serve a minimum of five years and one month before parole. |
| The paintings, including the £700,000 Viaduct, have never been found and police are still hunting for Miller's accomplices. | The paintings, including the £700,000 Viaduct, have never been found and police are still hunting for Miller's accomplices. |
| Miller has 28 previous convictions and is already serving a four-year sentence for grievous bodily harm. | Miller has 28 previous convictions and is already serving a four-year sentence for grievous bodily harm. |
| On Tuesday, he was given an indeterminate prison sentence for public protection, which means he will stay in jail until the parole board thinks he is no longer a risk to the public. | On Tuesday, he was given an indeterminate prison sentence for public protection, which means he will stay in jail until the parole board thinks he is no longer a risk to the public. |
| They will never be available for anyone else to enjoy, apart form your gang's criminal customers Judge Andrew Gilbart | They will never be available for anyone else to enjoy, apart form your gang's criminal customers Judge Andrew Gilbart |
| Jailing him, Judge Andrew Gilbart QC, Recorder of Manchester, said: "This was a well-planned, brutally executed robbery." | Jailing him, Judge Andrew Gilbart QC, Recorder of Manchester, said: "This was a well-planned, brutally executed robbery." |
| "I do not think you planned the raid... You have been hired as a useful piece of muscle to terrify the householders. | "I do not think you planned the raid... You have been hired as a useful piece of muscle to terrify the householders. |
| "It was a ruthlessly planned, professional crime in which property valued at £1.7m was taken. | "It was a ruthlessly planned, professional crime in which property valued at £1.7m was taken. |
| "They will never be available for anyone else to enjoy, apart form your gang's criminal customers. | "They will never be available for anyone else to enjoy, apart form your gang's criminal customers. |
| "That is a loss to the wider public and especially a loss to this region." | "That is a loss to the wider public and especially a loss to this region." |
| Miller told police he "didn't know Lowry from Adam" and denied involvement, but was convicted by a jury following a trial at Manchester Crown Court last month. | Miller told police he "didn't know Lowry from Adam" and denied involvement, but was convicted by a jury following a trial at Manchester Crown Court last month. |
| Miller was only arrested because Mrs Aird caught sight of his face during the robbery. | |
| Hours after the raid she provided an e-fit to police with an "exceptionally good likeness". | |
| The case was featured on the BBC's Crimewatch and police got a tip-off the man they wanted was Miller. | |
| He was arrested and Mrs Aird picked him out at an identity parade. | |
| Mr Aird had known LS Lowry as a boy and the artist was a friend of the family. | |
| He became a leading specialist in Lowry's works and ran a business, Grove Fine Art, from his home in Cheadle. | |
| Outside court Mr Aird said: "God knows where the paintings are now. | |
| "It is impossible to say. I just think it has been done to order." |