Lisa Sudale (pictured) said she and her boyfriend Junior Laing were enjoying a romantic afternoon together when he was accused of robbing a jewellers in Atherstone, Warwickshire in 2015

A gangster's moll who told police they were having a bath together while he was actually carrying out an armed robbery has been jailed after judges decided her suspended sentence was 'unduly lenient'.

Lisa Sudale, 35, said she and her boyfriend Junior Laing were enjoying a romantic afternoon together when he was accused of robbing a jewellers in September 2014.

But she was rumbled when phone records showed she rang him from 16 miles away around the time of the heist and was convicted of perverting the course of justice earlier this year.

While Laing, then 28, was jailed for 16 years for conspiracy to commit robbery and having an imitation firearm, the courts ruled Sudale 'would not cope' behind bars.

Chilling CCTV captured Laing pointing a shotgun at jeweller Alan Carter, 70, while he raided his shop in Atherstone, Warwickshire on September 4, 2014.

He and his unknown male accomplice hit Mr Carter in the jaw with the end of the gun before making off with £39,000 worth of watches and jewellery.

The thug was jailed in May 2015 at Birmingham Crown Court, while his getaway driver Charlotte Caines, 31, of Atherstone, Warwickshire was sentenced to eight years.

But she was rumbled when phone records showed the 35-year-old rang Junior Laing (pictured) from 16 miles away around the time of the heist

Chilling CCTV (pictured) captured Laing pointing a shotgun at jeweller Alan Carter, 70, while he raided his shop in Atherstone, Warwickshire on September 4, 2014. He was jailed but she was given a suspended sentence over claims 'she would not cope behind bars'

Although spiritual healer Sudale was originally allowed to walk free, yesterday the courts changed their mind saying she should be locked up with immediate effect.

It came after the Crown Prosecution Service asked the Attorney General to scrap the 'unduly lenient' sentence imposed in September.

Judges at the Court of Appeal in London, Lord Justice Simon, sitting with Mr Justice Goss and Judge Karen Walden-Smith, agreed.

Pictures is Alan Carter the victim of Laing's armed robbery in 2014

Overturning the suspended sentence handed out by Recorder Jacqueline Carey, Lord Justice Simon imposed an immediate 18-month prison sentence.

Lord Justice Simon said: 'This was a case in which she voluntarily chose to pervert the course of justice, out of a misplaced sense of loyalty.

'The strongest indication she could have given of her prospect of rehabilitation would have been a guilty plea.

'In our view, there were no exceptional circumstances.

'On the facts of this case, we consider that an immediate term of imprisonment should have been imposed and that the sentence that was passed was not only lenient, but unduly so.'

During her trial, the court heard Laing burst into Gold and Silver Investments jewellery shop in Atherstone with an accomplice.

Laing smashed Mr Carter in the face and grabbed jewellery and watches before fleeing in a getaway car driven by Caines.

Prosecutor Ian Windridge said Sudale tried to cover for Laing by providing police with a written statement claiming she was with him at the time of the robbery.

He said: 'Miss Sudale was Laing's significant other, girlfriend, call it what you will, and this case is about what she did in April 2015.

Yesterday Sudale's sentenced was overturned and she was locked up with immediate effect. Pictured is Gold and Silver Investments in Atherstone, Warwickshire, which was targeted in the raid

'On April 5 she made a written statement to the police in which she said Laing was at her home in Swadlincote all day on the day of the robbery, which took place at 2.30 that afternoon.

'She went into great detail about what they did that day up until she left for an appointment at 4pm.

'Her statement, if it had been correct, would have given Mr Laing a complete defence.

'If he was at her home in Swadlincote, he could not have been in a jewellery shop in Atherstone.'

Heidi Kubik, defending, suggested Sudale had allowed 'her desperate wishful thinking about Laing's innocence to become a fixed idea,' and argued that she would be 'particularly vulnerable' in custody.

Laing smashed Mr Carter in the face and grabbed valuable items from the shop (pictured) before fleeing in a getaway car

Sparing her jail, Recorder Jacqueline Carey had said: 'I don't begin to accept your evidence about your state of confusion or your poor memory.

'This was a deliberate lie. Armed robbery is at the top of the scale.

'There was a degree of persistence by you. You attended court on Mr Laing's behalf.

'You were not called to give evidence, but you were prepared to do so and to continue with your lies.

'But I do have concerns about your ability to cope with a prison sentence.

'In the light of the age of the offence and what I have read about you, I am prepared to suspend the sentence.'

After the Court of Appeal judges overturned her sentence Solicitor General Robert Buckland QC commented: 'Perverting the course of justice undercuts public confidence in our courts and damages trust in the system.

'A prison term sends a clear message that we will act to protect the judicial process from those who seek to undermine it.'