THREE men involved in a string of robberies, including targeting a courier at a Swanley cash point, have been sentenced to a total of 25 years in prison.

Ricky Turner, 25, Robert Ampomah, 26, and Jonathan Cope, 35, all from Peckham, were part of a gang which attempted to rob a courier working for Loomis on February 20 last year.

Other cash-in-transit robberies were committed in south-east London, Kent and Dorset, during which £68,000 was stolen.

The trio pleaded guilty to conspiring together with other persons to commit robbery between January 8 and March 2, 2012.

Meeting up in Peckham, the gang would use stolen vehicles to target couriers, using violence to enable them to steal large amounts of cash.

A claw hammer was used to hit one victim at a Santander bank branch in New Malden High Street, on January 10 last year.

Ampomah was sentenced at Kingston Crown Court on April 22 to seven years in prison, Cope 10 years and Turner eight years.

Detective Constable Tony Morrey said: "I am pleased at today's sentencing which means three very dangerous men are now behind bars.

"These were violent armed robberies during which innocent members of staff were terrorised and genuinely feared for their lives.

"Anyone who is willing to inflict such fear for their own material gain deserves to spend a significant amount of time behind bars.

"These men now face considerable terms of imprisonment where they will have plenty of time to think about the consequences of their actions."