Two men have been jailed after carrying out armed robberies in Bexley using a spray-painted starter-pistol.

Sidcup man Daniel John Pierce, 20, and Charlie Ricketts, 19, from Bromley, were arrested on July 10 last year after police linked them to armed robberies at a bookmakers and a bank in Bexley.

On March 27 Pierce, of Granville Road, and Ricketts, of Downham Way, threatened a cashier at Lloyds bank in Nuxley Road, Belvedere, with a handgun and made off with around £1,600.

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Daniel Pierce

On April 11, the duo threatened a cashier at Jennings Bookmakers in Market Place, Bexleyheath - placing a handgun on the counter before demanding money. The cashier refused and the pair left the shop.

They were arrested on April 12 after being caught trying to steal perfume at Boots in Sevenoaks.

Officers recovered a balaclava and gun from bushes nearby and discovered the gun was a starter-pistol, spray-painted to disguise its original orange colour.

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Charlie Ricketts

Pierce was charged with shoplifting and Ricketts was charged with possession of an imitation firearm in a public place;. Both pleaded guilty at Inner London Crown Court on September 29.

Ricketts pleaded guilty to attempted robbery, robbery and two counts of possession of an imitation firearm on December 19 and Pierce pleaded guilty to the same charges on January 8.

At Inner London Crown Court on January 28, Pierce was sentenced to seven years and three months in prison and Ricketts received a five-and-a-half-year sentence.