A man who threatened staff and customers with a fake gun during an armed robbery at a Tunbridge Wells travel agents has been jailed.

Robert Darling, 30, went into the Thomas Cook in Mount Pleasant Road, at around 10.30am on July 8 and made enquiries about currency rates, before leaving.

But an hour later he returned, this time demanding money while producing the imitation firearm and ordering employees and customers to kneel down against a wall.

Darling then pointed the gun at one of the staff and ordered her to open a safe and place cash inside a carrier bag. He fled the scene, stealing cash in various denominations and to a value of around £32,000. The money was never recovered.

Appearing at the Old Bailey central criminal court, Darling, formerly of Strickland Street, London pleaded guilty to all the charges and was today sentenced to 13 years in prison.

Darling was arrested in Rotherhithe by officers from the Flying Squad on October 21, following a joint investigation by Kent Police and the Metropolitan Police, who were investigating similar offences in areas of London.

Police also recovered an imitation handgun and baseball cap used in one of the crimes.

During the course of the investigation the vehicle Darling had used in Tunbridge Wells robbery was also located and Darling’s DNA was detected on a hat recovered from the car.

Darling was later charged with robbery and possession of an imitation firearm in Tunbridge Wells. He was charged with a further two robberies in the London area, as well as two counts of possession of an imitation firearm and possession of a false identity document.

Following the sentencing, Det Cons Wayne Totterdell from Kent Police’s Serious and Organised Crime Unit said: “Darling was intent on making money by whatever means possible. He went into the travel agent in Tunbridge Wells clearly with little regard for both staff and customers, who were threatened with the prospect of a firearm and subjected to terrifying ordeals.

“Thanks to the hard work of our investigation team, our colleagues at the Metropolitan Police and also the courage of both victims and witness Darling has now been brought to justice and is where he belongs - in prison.”