John Twomey, 62, led a gang that raided a warehouse near Heathrow Airport in February 2004, making off with £1.75m.Fellow robber Peter Blake was jailed for life with a minimum term of 10 years and nine months.Glenn Cameron, 50, and Barry Hibberd, 43, were sentenced to 15 years and 17 years and six months respectively.All four men were found guilty of robbery and having a firearm with intent to commit robbery.The case was the first crown court criminal trial to be held without a jury in England and Wales for more than 350 years.
The father of five wiped away tears before being taken down from the dock.
His barrister, John Aspinall QC, said: "It is a distinct prospect that he will serve the rest of his days in prison."
Blake, who had led a "life of crime", was given a life term for robbery because of his previous armed robbery convictions.
The term was to run concurrently with two further life sentences for two firearms possession charges. He has already served 840 days.
Cameron was described by the judge as the "least intelligent" of the gang. He has already served 220 days in custody.
Hibberd, he said, was a "trusted part of the team".
"His physical presence and self-confessed continued willingness to use it to enforce or advance his views rendered him an attractive recruit to a crime such as this," added the judge.
It is estimated that the cost to the taxpayer to bring the men to justice has exceeded £25m - more than 14 times the amount that was stolen in the raid.
Speaking after the trial, Portia Ragnauth, chief prosecutor for Surrey Crown Prosecution Service, described the case as a "benchmark prosecution"
"Our jury trial system should not be undermined by any suspected intimidation and jury tampering.
"And we will continue to apply for a trial without a jury when we have evidence that justice would not be served otherwise."
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