Robbers jailed for violent raids

The gang stole £1m worth of valuables

A gang that targeted the homes of millionaires in a string of violent burglaries has been jailed.

The five men were given indeterminate sentences as the judge said they posed a "significant risk" to the public.

Danny Cummings, Vincent Bailey, Daniel London, and brothers Robert and Adam Talbot were jailed at Kingston Crown Court on Tuesday.

They carried out six raids on homes in Bromley, south London, between July 2005 and January 2006.

The jury heard how the gang had threatened to mutilate victims during the midnight raids in which more than £1m worth of valuables were stolen.

In one raid, the gang began cutting off a victim's ear until he revealed the code to his safe.

The ringleader, Robert Talbot, even wrote a manual on how to be a gangster.

During the trial it emerged that the victims included advertising chief Bill Muirhead, businessman Damian Bischoff and footballer Mark Fish.

On one occasion there was an implicit threat of rape Judge Charles Welchman

Judge Charles Welchman said: "The victims feared for their lives and that of family members.

"On one occasion there was an implicit threat of rape on one of them and to cut off an ear and someone else's fingers.

"It was clear that the robbers had good intelligence.

"They also relied on and had personal information about their victims' families as part of the psychological campaign when they had their victims in their power."

Speaking after the sentencing Det Insp Gary Kelly said: "I cannot imagine how the victims felt.

"They have been incredibly traumatised by this - some of them have not been able to return to their homes."

Cummings, 29, of Vartry Road, north London was found guilty of conspiracy to rob in January.

The men raided homes during the night

Bellamy, 30, of Old Ford Road, east London; London, 43, of Welling, Kent; Robert Talbot, 29, of Farnborough, Kent, and 19-year-old Adam Talbot, of Chislehurst, Kent, all admitted the same charge.

The Talbot brothers also pleaded guilty to a series of burglaries.

Sentenced to a minimum of five years and three months Robert Talbot was told by the judge: "You are driven by a desire to obtain wealth through crime and perhaps leading others to take up the greater risk, leaving them to petrify persons who have been targeted."

Robert's brother, Adam, was given a minimum tariff of three years and six months and Cummings was handed a minimum of seven years and six months.

Bellamy was jailed for a minimum of four years and London, who threatened to cut off one victim's fingers with a blunt knife, was jailed for at least three years.