The ringleaders of the Hatton Garden heist are being taken to court in an attempt to claw back some of the stolen £25m.

Five of the burglars behind the ransacking of 73 boxes in the heart of London's diamond district are facing a confiscation hearing so police can try and get the ill-gotten gains back to the rightful owners.

The gang used a drill to bore a hole into the vault wall at Hatton Garden Safe Deposit to steal valuables including gold, diamonds and sapphires, most of which has not been recovered.

The raiders included Dartford's Brian Reader - the group's oldest member - who appeared in court in a wheelchair in September last year, having had a stroke as well as being treated for prostate cancer.

The 78-year-old, who was jailed for six years and three months after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit burglary, claimed he pulled out of the raid after the gang failed to gain entry to the vault on the first night, and received nothing from the lucrative burglary.

The estimated value of the goods stolen over the 2015 Easter weekend raid is up to £25m.

During the investigation, detectives covertly recorded the defendants, including in their cars.

This included recording Daniel Jones, 63, and Terry Perkins, 69, allegedly discussing burglaries they had carried out.

The ringleaders John "Kenny" Collins, 77, of Islington, north London; Jones, of Enfield, north London; and Terry Perkins, 69, of Enfield also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit burglary.

They were each given a seven-year prison term for their involvement in the burglary.

William Lincoln, 60, of Bethnal Green, east London, was found guilty of the same offence and one count of conspiracy to conceal, convert or transfer criminal property and was also given a seven-year sentence.

Around two-thirds of the proceeds of the burglary remain unaccounted for, with just £4million of cash and goods returned to the rightful owners.

During the trial, the court heard that 44 of the 73 boxes were actively used by 40 tenants at the time.

Although some of the goods were recovered, items of jewellery including gold chains and rings and many paper packages used in the jewellery trade containing individual precious stones, are still missing.

A confiscation hearing at Woolwich Crown Court, expected to last six weeks, began today as the crown attempts to retrieve money from Perkins, Jones, Lincoln, Reader and Collins.

Only Jones and Collins were present in the dock and neither spoke except to confirm their names. The other three were too ill to appear.

At today's hearing, prosecutor Philip Evans QC said: "There are two principle legal arguments, whether or not items returned and items found at the scene ought to form part of the final figure or not.

"Although a broad figure has been arrived at there are still some outstanding discussions to be had on relation to that.

"Although some owners and witnesses may still be required to give live evidence, the Crown only rely on one expert and a financial investigator from the police."

Also convicted was Carl Wood, 59, of Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, who was found guilty of conspiracy to burgle and one count of conspiracy to conceal, convert or transfer criminal property.

He was jailed for six years.

Hugh Doyle, 49, a plumber from Enfield, was found guilty of concealing, converting or transferring criminal property between January 1 and May 19, 2015.

Neither are part of this current Proceeds of Crime hearing.

Another thief who was instrumental in helping the gang get into the vault, known only as Basil, remains at large.