AN armed robber who terrorised staff at two Gwent service stations in the space of 20 minutes was jailed for eight years today.

Iwan Owen, aged 24, of Rover Way, Cardiff, brandished a 12-inch blade machete in the faces of his victims during the incidents on the night of November 1.

Owen had earlier pleaded guilty to robbing the Woodland Road Service Station in Croesyceiliog and the Albion Road Service Station in Pontypool. Judge David Wynn Morgan, sentencing at Cardiff crown court, said one of the victims, Nicola Madden, had suffered "terrifying flashbacks and nightmares" and was unable to return to work at the Albion Road business.

He said: "The robberies were planned and you had a machete concealed ... and wore a hat which could be pulled down to make identification of your face difficult.

"You chose garages staffed by lone females and you caused extreme fear and considerable psychological damage."

A total of more than £500 was stolen during the two robberies. Owen was sentenced to four years in custody for each count of robbery, to run consecutively.

Leighton Hughes, defending, said Owen regretted the fear he caused to the victims.