A BORDON man has been jailed for five-and-a-half years after pleading guilty to conspiracy to rob Philip Lloyd Jewellers in Reigate.

Michael King, 47, of Larch Road, was sentenced at Guildford Crown Court on July 11 after previously pleading guilty to the raid which occurred on October 16 last year.

It is thought King, along with an unidentified second assailant, entered the premises after knocking on a locked door disguised as postmen.

After knocking the manager to the ground, they attempted to open the safe but left quickly after a fruitless hunt for cash.

The raider also attempted to remove CCTV discs before making off on a scooter, which they later crashed on their way to a second getaway vehicle.

King was linked to the crime after officers found his DNA in a latex glove recovered near the jeweller's after the botched raid.

Police also found 12 internet searches of the jeweller's on King's computer.

Defence counsel Philip Rule said the failed robbery was wholly "out of character" for King and admitted it was a "botched" job.

King had no previous convictions and is thought to have attempted the robbery following an emotionally straining divorce.

A 79-year-old man was also charged in connection with the robbery but was later cleared.