Fagin-style crime boss gets nine years

A Fagin-style crime boss who organised a security van raid while standing trial for robbery has been jailed for nine years.

James Sorhaindo, 34, enlisted two 16-year-olds to snatch £8,200 from a security guard as he collected the cash from an Esso filling station in Leyton, east London.

The teenagers were arrested fleeing Sorhaindo's flat with bundles of cash down their pants as the ringleader desperately hurled notes from his balcony.

Sorhaindo, of Forest Gate, was jailed for nine years, while getaway driver James Matovu, 45, will spend seven years behind bars.

The 16-year-olds each received four years in a young offenders' institution.

Second getaway driver Fhaizo Mulwinda, 18, was jailed for six years, a 17-year-old will serve five years and a seventh defendant, aged just 15, was caged for two years and three months.

Judge Inigo Bing was heckled and taunted by gang members' furious relatives while security guards were forced to separate warring families in the public gallery amid ugly scenes at Snaresbrook Crown Court.

Sorhaindo had orchestrated the security van job while standing trial at Inner London Crown Court for a separate robbery.

In my opinion the courts must do their best to protect custodians who carry money around with them,' said the judge.

The trial heard the 16-year-olds, who cannot be named, were arrested fleeing Sorhaindo's flat in Sherrard Road, Forest Gate, and caught with the proceeds down their pants.

Witnesses saw Sorhaindo hurling cash from his balcony as cops swooped.

Sorhaindo had frantically tried to scrub invisible dye known as SmartWater' - which shows up under UV light revealing a code allowing police to pinpoint the crime scene - from the notes.

A jury took more than 11 hours to convict Sorhaindo, the two 16-year-olds, the 17-year-old, Matovu and Mulwinda of conspiracy to rob following a six-week trial.

The 15-year-old boy, who cannot be named, had earlier admitted conspiracy to rob.