Airport heist gang jailed

A GANG that tried to steal €50 million worth of diamonds and gold in a daring raid at Heathrow Airport was jailed yesterday.

The group smashed a van through the shutters of a Heathrow warehouse and tried to make off with gold bars, diamonds and foreign currency.

Had the robbers succeeded, police believe their haul could have been worth €50 million.

But their plan was foiled by detectives who were sitting in wait near the Swissport cargo warehouse on May 17 last year.

Martin Nolan, 30, of Horton, near Heathrow, was one of the organisers of the conspiracy and was arrested last July after fleeing to the East Midlands.

He had been monitoring police activity outside the compound during the raid and received 13 years for his part in the plot.

His younger brother Steven, 24, of Wraysbury, near Heathrow, was jailed for eight years and a consecutive six months for aggravated vehicle-taking.

Christopher Smith, 29, of Eton Wick, Berkshire, and James Fox, 31, of Ascot, Berkshire, were both jailed for eight years.

John Davis, 22, of Datchet, Berkshire, 33-year-old Derek Sheehan of Hammersmith, west London, and 31-year-old Alan Larmont of Langley, near Slough, were each jailed for seven-and-a-half years. The driver of the van, 36-year-old Anthony Charles, was jailed for six years and nine months.

A ninth man fled on foot and has never been tracked down.