THE jail time given to two criminals who carried out a hammer attack robbery in Newtown 'reflects the seriousness' of the crime, police have said

Gary Alan Davies and William Gareth Thomas were jailed on Friday for an incident in which they brandished weapons – including a knife and hammer – as they locked an employee in a room at the Snax 24 garage on Pool Road in the early hours of June 14, 2018. The victim was hit twice with the hammer.

At around the same time the duo also targeted a rural post office and a convenience store in Garthowen.

READ MORE: Newtown duo sentenced after hammer attack robbery

Davies was convicted after trial and will serve nine years, including seven inside and two on licence.

Thomas, who pleaded guilty, will serve an extended eight-year term, including six years in custody and two on licence.

The investigation was handled by CID, and after a long wait to see the case reach its conclusion, police chiefs say they were satisfied with the sentences handed out.

Inspector Matthew Price, of Dyfed-Powys Police, said: "The sentence given out is hopefully reflective of the seriousness of the crime.

"They are unusual crimes for this area but when they do happen I think as a force we do tend to put the resources into it to get to the bottom of it and try and get the prosecution."