A FAGIN-like gang leader has been jailed for nine years for orchestrating a daylight raid at a Leyton garage.

Another six members of the gang, including five teenagers, were sentenced alongside crime boss James Sorhaindo at Snaresbrook Crown Court, for a total of more than 40 years.

Sorhaindo, 31, enlisted the help of two 16-year-olds, a 17-year-old, an 18-year-old and another boy who was 15 at the time to steal more than £8,000 in cash in the raid.

The incident happened at the Esso garage in Lea Bridge Road, Leyton on August 15 2008 at about 11am.

The gang also included 46-year-old James Matovu, of Kebbell Terrace, Claremont Road, Forest Gate, who acted as getaway driver, and was jailed for seven years.

The 18-year-old, Fhaizo Mulwindwa, of Henniker Point, Stratford, acted as a second getaway driver and was handed a six-year jail term.

Sorhaindo, of Sherrard Road, Forest Gate was convicted of conspiracy to rob and was given another three years in jail for possession of criminal property after the incident.

The two 16-year-olds carried out a physical attack on a G4S security guard, who was collecting a cash box from the Tesco Express store at the garage.

They made off with £8,200 during the raid.

But the money was marked with a chemical called “Smart Water” which linked it directly to the stolen cash box after some of the bank notes were recovered by police.

A number of text messages and mobile phone calls also linked the defendants on or shortly before the day of the robbery.

Both 16-year-olds were given four-year sentences and one was handed another year for possession of an offensive weapon.

The 17-year-old, whose mobile phone was used to send an incriminating text message, was sentenced to five years in jail.

A third 16-year-old, who was 15 at the time of the robbery, was given a two-and-a-half year sentence after pleading guilty to conspiracy to rob in January.

The other defendants were found guilty of conspiracy to rob on March 23 and were sentenced on May 8.

Detective Superintendent Robert Cummings, of the Flying Squad, said: "This case has been a combination of both good detective work and the use of advanced technology.

"The introduction of Smart Water technology has been a significant development and has proved critical in this case in both identifying the offenders after the offence and providing the evidence to convict them.

"We hope this conviction will serve as a warning to other potential criminals."