THESE images show two armed robbers posing as gangsters with weapons they later used in a violent street robbery.

Damian Morley, 22, and his accomplice Brian Genther, 20, fired a gun four times and put it to their victim's head before hitting and kicking him 40 times in a street robbery.

The pair had befriended Owen West, 21, at a house party before later attacking him by a drain near Greenwood Avenue, west Hull, on May 17 last year.

They held him up with the black starting pistol, then launched into a violent attack before taking his ring, wallet and phone.

Morley told detectives when he was arrested that he wished it had been a real gun because they would have killed him.

Just a month previously, the pair had been taking photographs of themselves posing as gangsters with the gun and a knife with friends in their home.

All the men had been at a house party in 6th Avenue, Orchard Park, north Hull, where Morley was bragging that he had committed robberies in the past.

Mr West had offered to walk a female friend home and the defendants followed.

Prosecutor Nick Adlington said: "Genther barged past him, knocking him back a few steps.

"He then took a handgun from his waistband and pointed it at the victim's eyes saying 'get down'. He covered his head and was repeatedly hit."

Morley claimed in a police interview that Genther had shouted, "Watch me go" before punching and kicking Mr West 40 times.

Morley told detectives: "I wish the gun was real. I'd have made Genther shoot him 'cos he tried it on with my bird. What's the point in having one if you don't use it?"

The victim was taken to Hull Royal Infirmary with bruising to his nose, head and face.

Morley has a previous conviction for an attempted knife robbery at a mini-market in Hawthorne Avenue, west Hull, in December 2005.

Genther has previous convictions for vehicle crime.

Judge Michael Mettyear jailed Morley, of Harley Street, west Hull, for five years.

Genther, of Glencoe Street, east Hull, was jailed for four years.

Both men pleaded guilty to robbery at Hull Crown Court.

Judge Mettyear told them: "You attacked and robbed him at night producing an imitation handgun. He was repeatedly hit over the head and was frightened.

"The psychological injuries caused will no doubt stay with him for a long time.

"Photos were found, taken one month before, showing both of you with the gun and other weapons, showing off, play-acting, glorifying violence and the use of weapons.

"I accept there may have been an element of bravado, but this crime was deeply unpleasant and concerning. This was a nasty robbery."

Morley had attempted to plead guilty to a lesser charge of handling stolen goods and offered to give evidence against Genther for the Crown Prosecution Service.

This was refused.

Judge Mettyear told him: "This was a try-on by you to see if you could get your culpability reduced to handling stolen goods.

"You were prepared to give evidence, but that would have been on a wholly false basis that you had made up lies to obtain a conviction of your co-accused."