AN armed robber who was part of a violent gang which murdered one of its victims has been jailed for the public's protection.

Dwayne Blake, aged 28, of Mitchell Close, Belvedere, pleaded guilty at the Old Bailey to two counts of robbery and possession of an imitation firearm and a real gun.

He and the rest of the seven-strong gang were sentenced to a total of 98 years in jail last week, after planning armed raids across London from a barber's shop.

Blake was given an indeterminate sentence and will be in jail for at least nine years before being considered for release.

Jamaican-born Blake admitted using an imitation gun to hold up the Sunny Wholesale shop in Whitechapel Road, east London, in May 2005 and stealing £25,000 in cash.

Five months later, on November 8, he returned to the shop and brought four gang members with him.

The five robbers pointed pistols at the owner and threatened to shoot a customer's 16-year-old daughter before escaping with £102,000.

Part of the cash had been collected for Pakistani earthquake victims.

But the gang drew attention to themselves by whooping with glee and shouting "hot, hot, hot" as they ran to two getaway cars.

A witness, Omar Sayeed, noted the registration number of one of the cars and put Flying Squad detectives on the trail of the gang.

Mr Sayeed was awarded £500 by the judge for his public spiritedness.

The other defendants: Another gang member was former Sheffield United midfielder Ashley Sestanovich, aged 25, who acted as Arsenal star Thierry Henry's body double in a Nike television advert.

He fell in with the Jamaican gang and told them to target Fahey Roofing in Streatham when he knew £11,000 of wages would be there.

Sestanovich, from Clapham, was found guilty of conspiracy to rob and will be behind bars for at least four years of his eight-year sentence.

Damien Ennis, aged 28, from Tulse Hill, and illegal immigrant Hallroy Reid, aged 41, from Battersea, burst into the roofing company's office in June 2005 and went to hit Thomas Fahey, the brother of the managing director.

Reid shot Mr Fahey, who died from his injuries six months later.

Both were found guilty of murder and pleaded guilty to robbery and firearm possession.

Reid also pleaded guilty to taking part in the Sunny Wholesale robbery and admitted possession of a firearm.

He was jailed for life and will serve at least 35 years before being deported.

Ennis was also given a life sentence and will be deported after serving at least 30 years.

Michael Walker, aged 39, from Brixton, and Gilroy Goode, aged 39, from Thornton Heath, were found guilty of robbing Sunny Wholesale and possessing a gun, and will each serve at least eight years of an indeterminate sentence.

Owen Morgan, aged 31, from Brixton, admitted three counts of possessing a gun and robbing Sunny Wholesale.

He will also serve at least eight years of an indeterminate sentence.