Three Irish burglars who fled Kent at speeds of up to 130mph before smashing into one motorist and car jacking a good Samaritan who had come to their aid have been jailed.

Michael Moorehouse, 28, Francis Conners, 21 and a 15-year-old targeted six homes across the county in a matter of hours in June, using the M20 to get between the properties.

The trio stole tens of thousands of pounds of jewellery, a safe and a Jaguar car from houses in Uxbridge; Northumberland Road, Kennington; The Street, Hythe; Yeoman Lane, Bearsted and Ryarsh Road, Birling.

The Jaguar, stolen from Kennington, was dumped a short distance away.

They also attempted to break in to a second property in Northumberland Road, Kennington, before finally trying a door in Hollow Lane, Snodland.

Then, with Moorehouse at the wheel of a stolen BMW 330d, they hurtled down the London-bound carriageway of the M20, overtaking vehicles at speed, swerving across lanes and eventually colliding with Harshad Patel’s Vauxhall Astra.

Both cars were written off, with the BMW coming to a stop sideways across the middle lane and Mr Patel knocked unconscious.

Adrian Wycherley then pulled up in his Honda Jazz. Leaving his keys in the ignition he went to the defendants’ aid, at which point – less than a minute after the crash – Moorehouse got out of the BMW and shouted: “Come on lads.”

Mr Wycherley was pushed to the ground, suffering injuries to his face and arms, with the defendants fleeing in his car, which was later abandoned at Otford railway station. Their loot was left in the smoking wreckage of the BMW.

They were arrested in Essex a month later and between them were carrying £1,300 in cash, £920 of which was in the possession of the teenager.

All three admitted five counts of burglary, attempted burglary and robbery at Maidstone Crown Court in August. Moorehouse also admitted dangerous driving and without insurance.

Judge Julian Smith said the offences were “generally shocking and grotesque”.

Today, Moorehouse, of Dagenham, Essex, was sentenced to seven years and four months, Conners, from Dublin, for six years and the teenager, from Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, to two years detention and training.

After sentencing, Detective Constable Mark Howell said: "Moorehouse and Connors, along with their teenage accomplice were responsible for a mini crimewave, breaking into properties across the South East and causing long term distress and anxiety to their many victims.

"They then left a trail of destruction on a motorway which could easily have had fatal consequences, before assaulting a man whose only intention had been to offer help and assistance.

"I have no doubt had they managed to escape justice they would have gone on to commit further burglaries.

"Thankfully the amount of forensic evidence we have been able to gather has helped us to prove their guilt beyond any doubt and I hope the sentences passed today provide some comfort to all of the victims."