Hatton Garden ringleader attempt to cut sentence rejected

Brian Reader of Dartford, Kent, had pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit burglary

The oldest member of the Hatton Garden jewellery raid gang has failed in his attempt to have his prison sentence reduced.

Brian "the guv'nor" Reader was one of the ringleaders of what is said to be the largest burglary in English history.

He was given a prison term of six years and three months in March for his role in the £14m break-in.

He had sought leave to appeal the sentence due to ill health.

Two Court of Appeal judges were urged to show "mercy" and cut the 77-year-old's sentence following what was described as a "dramatic" deterioration in his health.

But Mr Justice Flaux and Mr Justice Edis rejected Reader's application for leave to appeal his original sentence.

Mr Justice Flaux said: "The sentence passed was not in any sense manifestly excessive."

Reader of Dartford, Kent, had pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit burglary.

The Hatton Garden gang carried out the meticulously planned crime over the Easter weekend last year.

They ransacked 73 boxes at Hatton Garden Safe Deposit after using a drill to bore a hole into the vault wall.

Valuables worth up to £14m, including gold, diamonds and sapphires, were taken.

Two-thirds of those valuables remain unrecovered.