When a jeweller allowed Rebecca Haigh through his security door he could have no idea he was putting himself and his brother at risk.

Haigh was not a customer, but part of a violent and determined gang of robbers.

Once the door was unlocked, three masked men equipped with large builder’s hammer burst into the premises.

What followed must have been a terrifying ordeal for the two brothers who run the shop as the raiders smashed up the premises and made off with jewellery worth a considerable sum.

The courage the businessmen showed in the face of this onslaught was truly remarkable.

Yesterday, Haigh paid for her part in the crime and she can have no complaints about the three-year jail term she received.

For while she did not wield a weapon herself, she was still part of a gang that did and if anyone had been seriously injured or worse, their blood would have been on her hands too.

As the judge, Recorder Mark Bury, said, she made a conscious decision to take part in the robbery.

Perhaps this case will act as a warning to others that the authorities will take a tough line with anyone helping violent criminals.

One thing is for sure, Haigh now knows that is the case.