Convicted Essex crook who ‘terrorised’ shop staff is jailed for armed robberies

An Essex man has been handed a lengthy prison sentence after two armed robberies.

James Mansbridge, 48, of Bond Street, Chelmsford was sentenced at Snaresbrook Crown Court on May 19 alongside Wayne Byrne, 41, and Lana Clayton, 42.

Two robbers threatened the driver of a national delivery company’s van in Broomhill Road, Goodmayes, armed with a gun and a knife at 9.18am on Christmas Eve in 2021.

They stole the van and drove it to a cul-de-sac in Dagenham where the contents were transferred to a BMX X5 bearing a false number plate.

A third member of the gang, Clayton, of Rayleigh Road, Woodford, drove them away from the scene. She pleaded guilty to robbery, but Mansbridge and Byrne entered not guilty pleas to this offence which will be left on file.

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The same BMW was used as the getaway vehicle in an armed robbery on a convenience store in Mawney Road, Romford on the evening of January 2 2022.

Clayton recced the shop prior to Mansbridge and Byrne, of Rush Green Road, Romford, committing the robbery armed with a gun.

Wayne Byrne has also been jailed (Image: Essex Police)

They made off with a quantity of cash and Clayton drove them away from the scene. All three pleaded guilty to this offence.

On the evening of January 21 2022, the two men also carried out an armed raid on a supermarket in Gale Street, Dagenham.

Mansbridge terrorised staff with an imitation firearm; Byrne with a knife. They made off with a quantity of cash and cigarettes.

Clayton had purchased the BMW four days before the delivery van robbery and was driving it on false plates, however Flying Squad detectives were able to establish the car’s true identity.

This breakthrough enabled detectives to trace the car and identify the robbery team – Mansbridge, Byrne and Clayton – who were arrested in February last year.

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James Mansbridge was jailed for eight and a half years and Wayne Byrne for eight years, with both having pleaded guilty to the two robberies in 2022.

Lana Clayton was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment, suspended for two years. She had pleaded guilty to robbery in relation to the delivery van in Goodmayes and the store in Mawney Road.

Detective Constable Tom Boow of the Met’s Flying Squad (East) said: “These two men are beginning jail terms amounting to more than 16 years. Both are convicted criminals who have shown no genuine remorse for their actions, with Mansbridge in particular having previously been jailed for armed robbery.

“The Flying Squad is dedicated to standing up to and arresting dangerous criminals and taking them off the streets, thus preventing further offences and in doing so making London safer for its law abiding citizens.”