London armed robbers jailed for Bournemouth jewellery raid

Two men have been jailed after a staff member had a gun held to his head during a "frightening" armed robbery at a jewellers.

Mustafa Ali, 25, and Michael Adiat, 23, admitted robbery and possession of a firearm at Franses jewellers in Bournemouth on 31 January last year.

Ali also admitted raids in Essex, Buckinghamshire and Bedfordshire.

He was jailed for 16 years with five on licence, while Adiat was jailed for 12 years with three on licence.

The three other robberies Ali pleaded guilty to happened in Chelmsford, Aylesbury and Luton.

Ali, of Sandringham Road, Dalston, east London, and Adiat, of Maundeville Street, Lower Clapton, east London, entered Franses with a brown holdall, expressing an interest in buying Patek watches, Dorset Police said.

The pair tried on two watches before producing imitation hand guns, the force added.

Adiat then took hold of one member of staff and held a gun to his head, while Ali used a lump hammer to smash a display cabinet, cutting his own hand in the process.

A second staff member managed to press a panic alarm in a rear room before Ali and Adiat fled the scene with watches and jewellery, police said.

Det Con Jo Regan added: "This was a violent offence and a very frightening ordeal for the victims, who all showed considerable bravery in the circumstances."