Kenny Dalglish look-alike John Devlin, 27, has bee

Kenny Dalglish look-alike John Devlin, 27, has been jailed
for 14 years by an Old Bailey judge for a series of terrifying
armed raids.

Devlin targeted an escort agency, two clubs and a pub
for his ruthless robberies on ‘soft’ victims.

He and an accomplice posed as maintenance men after the
success of their first pub raid when the manager thought the
overall-clad bandits had come to work on his beer taps.

But Devlin’s distinctive features were remembered and he
he was picked out by several times on identification parades.

Passing sentence, Recorder Michael Hill, QC, said:
‘Those who go armed to commit crimes of this kind with a firearm
or imitation firearm in their possession must know that when they
go out they face severe punishment.

‘I have in mind your age and there is no other matter
I have in mind that can possibly mitigate the grave offences you
committed.

‘These offences are made more serious because as time
went on you became more professional and for that you must pay
the penalty.

‘
Devlin’s first target was an escort agency in Lanark
Road, Maida Vale, on June I, 1990.

He burst in with a an accomplice shouting at staff: ‘I’ve
got a gun, I’ll blow your f***ing heads off,’ said prosecutor Mr
Nicholas Coleman.

Devlin demanded cash and Miss Samantha Casey handed over
pnds stlg 270.

The pair also grabbed personal jewellery from the
terrified escorts before they fled, warning that anyone who
followed would be shot.

When Miss Casey later picked Devlin out on an identity
parade she said: ‘As I walked into the room his face just zoomed
out.

‘
On April 15 last year ‘The Outside Inn’ in Neasden was
robbed when manager Mr Kevin McDonnell mistook the raiders for
maintenance men.

‘He saw the pair outside outside the pub and invited them
in, thinking they had come to work on the beer taps,’ said
counsel.

Barmaid Lisa Quinn showed them down to the cellar but
turned and was shocked to see Devlin’s partner holding a shotgun.

When Mr McDonnell came into the cellar he was frogmarched
upstairs to his office where the pair took over pnds stlg 4,000
from the safe.

They then coolly took the manager to his flat and grabbed
his wages, said Mr Coleman.

The pair were so delighted with their haul that they
chose to pose as maintenance men for the next raid on Galtymore
Club (corr) in Cricklewood Broadway on April 25.

Devlin approached maintenance manager Mr Roger Sherlock,
telling him they had come to check the gas supply after a leak
nearby.

They followed him to his office, pushed the terrified
manager inside and ordered him to the floor.

When secretary Miss Rose Moriaty arrived she was made to
open the safe and the bandits grabbed pnds sltg 9,500.

Delvin teamed up with a two other men for his final
robbery on the British Rail Social Club in the Edgware Road on July
15.

The robbers again posed as workmen and walked into the
club at 9am wearing boiler suits.

Staff were again told they had come about a gas leak but
then Devlin pulled out a knife and one of his accomplices pro
duced a gun.

Three employees bravely struggled with the raiders but
they managed to escape with pnds stlg 700.

Following a painstaking police operation Devlin, of Rowley
Way, St Johns Wood, was arrested on July 24, but his accomplices
are still at large.

No evidence was offered on his behalf, but his counsel Mr
Gary Summers, claimed Devlin had been mistakenly identified in
all the raids.

The jury convicted him of three robberies, one aggravat
ed burglary and related firearms offences.

He was cleared of raids on the Swiss Cottage Odeon on
January 30 last year, Camden High Street Woolworths on
February 28, and Shaftsbury Theatre Box office on March 21.

Devlin was also found not guilty of robbing The
Aristocrats escort agency in Shouldham Street, Marylebone, on July
11.

The court heard Devlin has previous convictions for
possession of offensive weapons, assault and affray.

Indicating he would appeal against conviction Mr Summers
told the court: ‘We have dedicated ourselves to our client’s
cause for five months.

‘We will renew our dedication and our day will come.

‘
ENDS
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