Hatton Garden raid ringleader jailed for six years

The man believed to be the ringleader of the Hatton Garden heist has been jailed for six years and three months for his part in the £14m raid.

Brian Reader, 77, of Dartford, Kent, appeared by videolink at Woolwich Crown Court today and was sentenced after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit burglary last September.

Reader, who is the oldest member of the gang, suffered a stroke in Belmarsh Prison after his arrest and the court was told he now walks with a walking frame.

When sentencing, Judge Kinch said he took into account the fact that Reader is “seriously unwell” and needs daily assistance with a number of routine tasks.

He said Reader has a range of medical problems which are “potentially very serious indeed”, but added: “I’m satisfied that you were rightly described as one of the ringleaders and involved in regular meetings.”

The judge pointed out that while Reader was not present on the second night of the heist, he was there the first night and during “at least one dry run”.

Five other men were sentenced to a combined time of 34 years in jail earlier this month, including John “Kenny” Collins, 75, Daniel Jones, 61, and Terry Perkins, 67, who were each sentenced to seven years in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit burglary.

Carl Wood, 59, and William Lincoln, 60, who were convicted of conspiracy to commit burglary and conspiracy to conceal, convert or transfer criminal property after a trial, have been given six and seven years respectively, while plumber Hugh Doyle, 49, was jailed for 21 months – suspended for two years – for his “limited role”.