by Julia Roberts

A father and son from Sheerness who were part of a gang that stole thousands of pounds in raids on security guards at banks have each been jailed for 14 years.

A judge at Maidstone Crown Court told Peter Clarkson, 56, of Hartlip Close, and his 34-year-old son Peter, of Mills Close, Minster, they had been involved in "serious and sinister" crime.

Both had denied conspiracy to rob in relation to five raids which netted more than £90,000 from NatWest and HSBC in Sheerness and HSBC in Bexleyheath, LloydsTSB in Sidcup and LloydsTSB in Redhill, Surrey, in the summer of 2009.

On passing sentence, Judge Martin Joy said neither would have reason to complain if he had ordered that the 14 years be served consecutively to their current prison sentences. Clarkson Snr and Clarkson Jnr were jailed for five years and six years three months respectively in March last year for robbery.

The judge described the "cash in transit" raids, as they are known, as "professional, well organised and committed for very high gains". He said the pair, who were on bail at the time, were involved in the planning, hiring of getaway cars and reconnaissance.

"You operated as a gang, of which you were the principals," added Judge Joy. "You have a history of acting together to commit serious crime in a determined, persistent and thoroughly dishonest way over the course of many years and, in more recent years, have acted in a particularly serious and sinister way."

A third defendant, Harriboy Disson, 18, from Kensington, west London, has admitted involvement in three of the robberies and will be sentenced at a later date.

During the trial the court heard the robberies were all executed in seconds and were carried out in a similar way, with a BMW as the getaway car.

"It is a quick series of robberies in the sense when the delivery is made there is a quick pouncing," said prosecutor Deepak Kapur.

"There is a push or punching of the delivery man and money is stolen. It happened in the space of 15-30 seconds - as quick as that."

Mr Kapur said the father and son were arrested after the Sheerness raids and they then "took a back seat approach" and recruited others to commit the remaining three.