AXE, hammer and crowbar-wielding burglars from Basingstoke who committed a violent raid on a property have been jailed for a combined total of more than 26 years.

Lee McNair, Kenny Samual Jackson aka Mostyn-Lloyd, Ronald Paul Dean and Rupert James were sentenced at Winchester Crown Court last week after pleading guilty to the aggravated burglary of a home in Andover in August.

The ringleaders, McNair, of Tallis Gardens, Basingstoke, and Jackson (aka Mostyn-Lloyd) of no fixed address, were both sentenced for seven years and four months.

McNair admitted to entering and stealing from the property while wielding a hammer and to being concerned in the supply of a quantity of the class A drug diamorphine (heroin).

The 37-year-old was also given an additional sixmonth prison sentence to run alongside the sevenyear term after further pleading guilty to stealing a Mercedes C180 from Tallis Gardens in Basingstoke and to driving that car without a driving licence or insurance.

Jackson (aka Mostyn-Lloyd), 30, admitted being armed with a crowbar as he entered the Turin Court premises and additionally admitted to steal ing £170 from a property in Rhodes Square.

Dean, 32, also of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to carrying an axe as he committed the burglary and received a sentence of six years and eight months along with co-defendant Rupert James, 45, of Castle Road, Basingstoke who was also armed with an offensive weapon.

A fifth female defendant, Nicola Absolom, 34, of Attwood Close, Basingstoke, also admitted to aggravated burglary and was sentenced to a community order in September.

Following the sentence, DC Mike Higgins said: “This was a very serious offence which involved the use of threats and violence against the victims.

“The case was built on an excellent initial response and police work and, due to the weight of evidence gathered, the defendants pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity.

“The success of the case was based on the fact that our colleagues at Andover response and patrol were able to stop the defendants’ vehicle within five minutes of the offence taking place and were able to recover the stolen goods.

“We are very pleased with the result of the hearing, and that justice has been delivered by the courts.”