A man who robbed a Barclays bank in Brockley was yesterday jailed for 15 years after drunkenly confessing that he was an armed robber to ambulance staff believing they were police.

James Reilly, of no fixed address but originally from Glasgow pleaded guilty to the robbery in Lewisham as well as others in Preston and Northampton.

Reilly entered the bank on Brockley Road and passed a demand note, written on a betting slip, to the female cashier which read: ‘Fill these bags with money. Don’t lock doors. I am armed. If you f*** about I will shoot everyone’.

Reilly then made off on foot with a quantity of cash.

No weapon was seen during any of the raids.

Reilly has been identified as a suspect and circulated as wanted when he collapsed drunk in a Blackpool Street in April.

In his inebriated state, he believed ambulance staff who had come to his aid were police officers.