'Prada Boys' jailed for 39 years

Victims noticed the Prada trainers favoured by the gang

A gang of robbers, who were nicknamed The Prada Boys because of their taste in footwear, have been sentenced to a total of 39-and-a-half years in jail.

Three members of the gang were found guilty of conspiracy to rob on 7 November after a trial at Harrow Crown Court in north London.

Two others had admitted the same offence at an earlier hearing.

The court had been told the gang searched the West End for likely victims in expensive cars before following them home.

Dozens were attacked on their doorsteps before their houses were ransacked for valuables.

Passing sentence on Monday, Judge Edward Bailey said: "You cannot, I am sure, be in any doubt as to the horror with which your activities will be viewed by ordinary law-abiding citizens.

This gang included some of the most dangerous criminals I have dealt with Detective Chief Inspector Michael Gates

"To do it once is bad enough, but to go trawling for victims on a regular basis and between you to strike several times is quite beyond the pale."

During the trial the court heard that in the worst case Lady Homa Alliance lost uninsured Iranian gold coins and jewellery worth £1.3m from her Chelsea home.

Most of the items were in a safe which she was forced to open after being threatened with having a finger cut off.

The Ugandan High Commissioner George Kirya was punched to the ground on his doorstep in Hampstead and a Rolex watch torn from his wrist.

Police initially had few leads because the gang was careful to wear gloves and masks, leaving no forensic evidence.

Mobile calls examined

But a number of the victims described one of the robbers as wearing a red stripe on his expensive trainers.

Officers managed to identify likely suspects and the records of tens of thousands of mobile telephone calls were examined allowing detectives to put the suspects in the areas where the robberies were carried out.

On Monday the gang's "mastermind" Darren Mentore, 22, from Holloway, north London, was jailed for nine years.

Leon Peter, 27, from Hackney, east London, described as Mentore's right-hand man was jailed for eight years.

'Reign of terror'

Both had admitted the conspiracy charges as well as four "substantive" counts of linked robberies.

Colin Mortley, 24, from Bedfont, Middlesex, got seven-and-a-half years, Paul Murray, 25, from Notting Hill, west London was sentenced to seven years and Daniel, Brown, 25 also from Notting Hill, eight years.

Outside court Detective Chief Inspector Michael Gates said: "This gang included some of the most dangerous criminals I have dealt with.

"This was a reign of terror - they threatened and terrorised their prey, some of them lone women."