Robbers to repay millions

MILLIONS of pounds stolen during the biggest cash robbery in British history must be paid back by the men responsible for the raid.

Confiscation orders were slapped on six men – including one from Crowborough – convicted of the Tonbridge Securitas heist at a hearing on Friday at Woolwich Crown Court.

Inside man, Ermir Hysenaj, formerly of New Road, said he had only benefited by £8,000, which was in an account he had access to.

But Mr Penry-Davey dismissed this claim, stating he had made £250,000 from his part in the raid.

Hysenaj is currently serving 20 years after being convicted of conspiracy to rob at the Old Bailey but faces a further two years behind bars if he fails to pay the sum.

The Albanian national, who took covert video footage of the cash depot ahead of the 2006 raid, faces deportation on release.

Det insp Mark Fairhurst said: "The presiding judge has dismissed claims made by some of the defendants in which they have tried to mask the actual amounts of money they have benefited from following the robbery. It is important to ensure those involved in this horrific crime do not benefit financially."

In October 2009, Paul Allen, the right hand man of alleged mastermind Lee Murray, pleaded guilty to his part in the conspiracy, and accepted he had benefited by £1.9million.

Judge Mr Justice Penry-Davey accepted that Allen, currently serving an 18-year stretch, had assets worth £1.23million which could be confiscated.

He was ordered to cough up or spend five more years inside.

Co-conspirator Stuart Royle, formerly of Maidstone, claimed he could not pay anything back because the Securitas cash was beyond his control or reach.

But Mr Penry-Davey said the former car salesman, currently serving a minimum of 15 years behind bars, had benefited by £2million, which he would have to pay back or face a further six years imprisonment.

Lea Rusha, of Lambersart Close, High Brooms, Jetmir Bucpapa, of Hadlow Road, Tonbridge, and Roger Coutts, of Welling, all escaped having to pay because the judge deemed recovered cash made up their share.

But they were told if they go on to show unprecedented wealth in future they will have to explain its origin to the courts.

Nigel Pilkington, head of the Crown Prosecution Service's South East Complex Case Unit, said: "Seizing criminal assets and recovering the proceeds of criminal activity is not simply an add on to the prosecution of criminals.

"It helps investigators and prosecutors to disrupt further criminal activity and return the money to the general public, to whom it rightly belongs."