Kings Lynn: Gang Jailed For Armed Robbery

9 November 2012, 06:00

A gang behind an armed robbery at a jewellers have been sentenced to a total of nearly 40 years in prison.

The robbery happened at the Francis Wain store in King's Lynn just before 10am on January 31.

Gems worth about £70,000 were stolen in the smash and grab raid.

Prosecutor Ian James said: ``Some kind of smoke producing device was set off causing the attention of the public to be diverted to the van they used and shielding from public view the identity of those involved.''

Mr James added that the ``violent intrusion'' was captured on CCTV and showed one of the robbers waving a handgun.

``For those who had the misfortune to be working in the premises it must have been an absolutely terrifying experience,'' he said.

20 year old Imran Mostafa from Slough had denied robbery and possessing a firearm with intent to commit an offence along with 18-year-old Jonathan Abdul from London but both were convicted after a trial in September.

Today they were sentenced alongside Ossama Hamed, 19, of Greswell Street in Fulham and Ahmed Ahmed, 20, of Nag's Head Road in Enfield, who had previously admitted the same charges.

Passing sentence, judge Peter Jacobs said: ``This was plainly a terrifying robbery.

``Staff were praying that they would not be shot and they continue to suffer trauma.''

Mostafa, who looked relaxed and wore a grey tracksuit with the initials of USA Track and Field across it in court, was jailed for 11 years.

Abdul will serve 11 years in a youth offenders institute, Hamed will serve eight years and three months and Ahmed seven years and four months.

Nicholas Wells, mitigating for Hamed, argued the raid had not been well planned.

``He is not set on a criminal future,'' he added.

Stephen Spence, for Ahmed, said his client was not a sophisticated criminal and regretted his actions.

Mr Spence added: ``To quote Captain Mainwaring, 'He's a stupid boy',''

David Bird, for Abdul, said he had lived a ``life of turmoil'' moving around various countries after leaving his homeland of Eritrea.