A MAN who admitted carrying out a series of armed robberies across West London has been sentenced to eight years in prison.

Jackson Docherty, 45, formerly of Boston Road, Hanwell, pleaded guilty to ten armed robberies and nine firearms offences at Harrow Crown Court on Wednesday, April 12.

Police were able to link the crimes which occurred between October 2005 and January 2006 because of the unusually polite method used: one robbery took place on Monday, November 14, at Tote Sports bookmakers on the South Ealing Road, when Docherty and another man entered the premises armed with a black handgun and calmly demanded cash.

They were polite and never threatened anyone. Once the bag had been filled with cash both men calmly walked out of the premises up South Ealing Road towards the Broadway. No shots were fired and no-one was injured.

On the following day Docherty robbed Coral bookmakers on the South Ealing Road in the same manner. Again he calmly demanded cash, showing the black hand gun he had in his possession.

Unwins off-licence on the same street was also targeted in the same way.

Operation Clearlake was launched by the Finchley Flying Squad in response to the robberies.

The offences were linked by their geographical location, the type of premises targeted, the method used and the description of the suspect and the weapon used.

CCTV from two of the robberies provided good quality pictures of the suspect and Docherty was subsequently identified as the person involved.

He was arrested by officers on February 8 in the NatWest Bank, Hammersmith, while trying to obtain property by deception. While in custody Docherty was further arrested by officers in relation to the series of armed robberies. He was charged with eight armed robberies, two attempted armed robberies, and nine associated firearm offences.

DCI Jeffrey Davies from the Flying Squad said: "This sentence is the result of the excellent work of Flying Squad officers and also shows the importance of commercial premises installing good CCTV equipment. This enabled officers to obtain a wealth of evidence against Docherty which gave him no option but to admit to his crimes."