The elderly mastermind of the Hatton Garden raid was previously jailed in connection with the infamous Brinks Mat raid, it's emerged.

Brian Reader, 76 - known as "The Master" - was locked up for eight years for conspiracy to handle stolen goods in 1983 after the £26 million gold bullion armed robbery in west London.

The revelation emerged at Woolwich Crown Court this week, where four men are on trial for the multimillion pound diamond heist in April this year.

Reader has already pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit burglary at the Hatton Garden Safe Deposit company - the biggest raid in English legal history.

Four other men are on trial accused of being involved in the Hatton Garden raid.

Carl Wood, 58, of Elderbeck Close, Cheshunt, Hertfordshire; William "Bill" Lincoln, 60, of Winkley Street, Bethnal Green, east London; and Jon Harbinson, 42, of Beresford Gardens, Benfleet, Essex, all face the charge of conspiracy to commit burglary between May 17 2014 and 7.30am on April 5 this year.

Hugh Doyle, 48, of Riverside Gardens, Enfield, north London, is jointly charged with them on one count of conspiracy to conceal, convert or transfer criminal property between January 1 and May 19 this year.

He also faces an alternative charge of concealing, converting or transferring criminal property between April 1 and May 19 this year.

Another burglar, known only as a red-haired man called Basil, has not been identified.

Collins, of Bletsoe Walk, Islington; Jones, of Park Avenue, Enfield; Perkins, of Heene Road, Enfield, and Reader, of Dartford Road, Dartford, are due to be sentenced at a later date.

The trial continues today.