Two brothers from Medway who terrified train passengers in a string of robberies were caught after the Messenger printed their photos.

Sino Poinsaumy, 20, and his brother Nico, 18, used threats and violence to steal mobile phones on early-morning and late-night trains.

Police arrested the pair after CCTV of them at Strood station was used in an appeal.

Sino, of Humber Crescent, Strood, was jailed for five years on Wednesday after he admitted four of the brutal robberies.

In one case, he held a knife to the throat of a 16-year-old from Herne Bay when the boy refused to hand over his mobile phone.

A week later he punched and kicked a 38-year-old Rochester man seven times before taking his phone.

Another week passed before he launched an unprovoked attack on another 16-year-old boy, then stole a 21-year-old Gravesend man's phone on a 6.36am train to Gillingham.

The crimes, which happened between August 24 and September 9 last year, were condemned by the British Transport Police as "utterly callous".

DC Marie Jeffery said: "The level of violence the Sino and Nico Poinsaumy used, simply for mobile phones, was utterly callous. They behaved like nothing more than opportunistic, violent thugs.

"Many of the victims were injured and all of them were left extremely distressed and shaken by the ordeal they had to endure."

Nico, of New Road Avenue, Chatham, appeared alongside his brother at Woolwich Crown Court.

He avoided jail and was handed an eight-month sentence, suspended for two years, along with 220 hours' unpaid work.

He admitted ordering a 31-year-old Strood man to hand over his phone on a 12.15am train from Charing Cross.

Police did not charge him over another robbery he watched his brother carry out.

DC Jeffery said: "I would like to pass my thanks to the members of the public who called and helped us identify the Poinsaumy brothers, enabling us to arrest them and put a stop to their violence.

"Thankfully incidents of this nature are extremely rare. We welcome the jail term and hope it sends a clear message that the consequences of such violence are severe."

She added: "Smart phones are high on the list of desirable things to steal. We aren't asking people to stop using their mobile phones, but to be more aware of their surroundings."