MEMBERS of a hole-in-the-wall gang who stole tens of thousands of pounds from cash machines were last night facing lengthy jail sentences.

A nationwide police operation snared the County Durham criminals after they struck at cashpoints nine times in the space of two years.

The men had been due to stand trial at Teesside Crown Court next month, but yesterday admitted their parts in the thefts and burglaries.

The dramatic twist came after hours of discussions between prosecuting barristers and legal teams acting for members of the gang.

Appearing in the dock were: Carl Fitzgerald, 23, of The Crescent, High Etherley, Bishop Auckland; Michael Smith, 27, of Albion Terrace Bishop Auckland; Stuart Henderson, 43, of Douglas Villas, Durham; and Brian Thexton, 31, Carl Thexton, 28, Joseph Sexton, 42, and Ronald Thexton, 24, all of Park Road, Bishop Auckland.

Brian Thexton, Ronald Thexton and Joseph Sexton all admitted conspiracy to burgle commercial premises between January 1, 2005 and November 4, 2006.

All three men accepted responsibility for raids on ATM machines in Langholm, Dumfries and Galloway, and a service station cashpoint near Burton, Lancashire.

Ronald Thexton also confessed to a raid at Ingleton, North Yorkshire, and admitted, along with Brian Thexton to stealing a machine at Langley Moor, Durham, and along with Joseph Sexton, one in Carnforth, Lancashire.

Brian Thexton accepted his part in the theft of a machine from Kirkby Lonsdale, North Yorkshire, and, along with Joseph Sexton, a raid at Moffat in Dumfries and Galloway.

Henderson pleaded guilty to the attempted theft of a cash machine containing £64,000 from the Co-op in Ormiston, Lancashire, and assisting an offender after the theft of £80,000 from an ATM at a garage in Escrick, North Yorkshire.

Fitzgerald admitted conspiracy to steal between February 5 and 8, 2005, a cash machine containing £39,000 from the Langholm Co-op, and, along with Carl Thexton, an ATM with £52,000 from the Tesco store in Carnforth.

Smith pleaded guilty to the theft of the machine and £26,000 from the Somerfield store in Langley Moor.

As well as the Carnforth raid, Carl Thexton admitted handling a stolen mini-digger and trailer between November 27 and 30, 2005.

Malcolm Readman, 26, of Lambton Street, Middlesbrough, pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to the attempted theft of an ATM from the Co-op in Moffat between February 27 and March 12.

They will all be sentenced by Judge George Moorhouse on November 9.