A MAN has been sentenced to eight years in prison following the attempted theft of an ATM machine in Liverpool.

At 11.50pm on Monday, December 3, police received a call reporting an explosion of an standalone ATM machine on Rose Lane in Mossley Hill, with debris and damage caused to surrounding premises.

Offenders are believed to have driven off in a vehicle towards Garston.

Following enquiries, 52-year-old Ronald Scott from Plover Drive in Runcorn was arrested and charged with causing an explosion likely to endanger life, criminal damage and attempted theft.

He admitted the offences today, Tuesday, and was sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court.

An investigation into the incident remains ongoing.

Detective inspector, Paul Speight, said: "The sentence of Scott today sends a very clear message that to endanger our communities in such a way will not be tolerated by the police or the courts.

"It was thankful on that night last month that nobody was seriously hurt or killed in the explosion.

"However, this is an extremely dangerous way to target any premises, which clearly put members of the public at risk.

"The damage and inconvenience to the businesses nearby was also significant, and we have shown before in successful operations that we will use all available means to identify and bring to justice those identified.

"Scott will now have a considerable amount of thinking time in jail to consider his greedy and reckless actions.

"We don’t believe that Scott acted alone though, so our investigations continue.

"If you have any information then please come forward and we can continue taking such dangerous people off our streets."

Anyone with information on the incident is asked to contact the social media desk @MerPolCC, call 101 with reference 18400054778 or the independent charity @CrimestoppersUK anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

You can also use the online form.