Two men have been jailed after a Flying Squad investigation into armed robberies in east London.
They are James Mansbridge, 48, (26/10/1974) of Bond Street, Chelmsford and Wayne Byrne, 41, (17/05/1982) of Rush Green Road, Romford.
At around 09:18hrs on 24 December 2021, two robbers threatened the driver of a national delivery company’s van in Broomhill Road, Goodmayes, armed with a gun and a knife. 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 drove them away from the scene. She is Lana Clayton, 42, (31/01/1981) of Rayleigh Road, Woodford. Clayton pleaded guilty to robbery, but Mansbridge and Byrne entered not guilty pleas to this offence which will be left on file.
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 2 January 2022. Clayton recced the shop prior to Mansbridge and Byrne committing the robbery armed with a gun. 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 21 January 2022, the two men 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 2022.
On 19 May 2023, all three were sentenced at Snaresbrook Crown Court.
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.”
Anyone with information about those who use weapons to rob and intimidate people in London is urged to call 101 or to remain anonymous contact Crimestoppers.
