AN ARMED robber left a bag containing £5,000 cash in a taxi after shooting a security guard in a "terrifying" raid at Newport's Halifax bank, a court heard.

Ryan 'G-Man' Gamble left the money while making his getaway from the £75,000 city centre robbery, a jury heard.

The prosecution allege Gamble, 23, was part of a gang of four armed robbers from Birmingham who shot Securicor guard Roy Grey last April.

He and Leroy 'Munch' Davidson, 22, Daniel 'Dan Dan' Nelson, 27, and Mikhail 'Macky' Sinclair, 20, went on trial at Cardiff crown court yesterday. Prosecutor Michael Mather-Lees told the jury the men wore masks and went "tooled up" with guns to carry out the robbery.

He said Gamble, Nelson and Sinclair travelled to the bank in a high-performance Mitsubishi Evolution car while Davidson was "lookout" in Commercial Street.

Mr Mather-Lees said Nelson drove while Gamble and Sinclair, both with guns, went into the bank.

He said the rented house of Leah Eversley Boyd - Nelson's girlfriend's sister - in Hillview Crescent, Pontfaen, Newport, was used to store the car, plan the robbery and meet once the raid was over.

Gamble, of Wilmcote Tower, Davidson, of Ensdon Grove and Nelson, of Wellesley Gardens, deny separate charges of conspiracy to rob and conspiracy to possess a firearm with intent to rob.

The jury was told Sinclair, of Tower Road, Erdington, has pleaded guilty to both charges. The prosecution said this is evidence against himself, not the others.

The four all deny wounding 56-year-old Mr Grey with intent. Gamble is also charged with possessing a firearm with criminal intent. It is alleged an iPod-shaped cigarette lighter with Gamble and Sinclair's DNA was found at the bank. Mr Mather-Lees said it fell out of a pocket. He said when the Securicor van delivering money pulled up outside, Davidson "called the gang in" from his mobile.

He said: "Gamble and Sinclair got out and went into the bank where we have a terrifying scene unfolding."

The jury was told bank customer Wayne Jones, 43, was coshed with a security box as he tackled the robbers.

Mr Mather-Lees said they demanded money from Mr Grey at gunpoint. He said Gamble shot Mr Grey after the £75,000 was handed over, to cause "gratuitous and serious injuries".

He added: "It was a warning not to pursue and to allow them time to escape." Proceeding.