THREE men are today starting jail sentences totalling 47 years after a string of robberies and burglaries including three in the New Forest.

Tony Marshall and Mursel Haziri used meat cleavers, knives, hammers and crowbars to terrify their victims before ransacking their properties.

One man was left so frightened he suffered a heart attack.

In total they stole around £150,000 during six robberies and four burglaries. These included raids at The Forest Inn, Ashurst, Le Chanteclerc Restaurant and the post office, both in Cadnam, between May 3 and July 6 last year.

Marshall, 33, and Haziri, 31, were found guilty of conspiracy to rob and also conspiracy to burgle.

A third man, Farhad Hajilou, 26, pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to rob a property in Bedfordshire, but was also found guilty.

As the three from West London were sentenced, Hajilou screamed at his accomplices: “You have got me involved in this for nothing. I have done nothing. Stop laughing at me!”

He was restrained and carried out of the dock. Before the sentencing at Winchester Crown Court, armed police officers surrounded the entrances to the court.

Judge Thomas Longbotham said: “You showed callous disregard in the planning and execution of these robberies."

The court heard how £15,000 in cash and £5,000 in foreign currency was stolen from Cadnam Post Office last June after the owners were confronted by Marshall, Haziri and a third man armed with crowbars.

Marshall and Haziri also used a crowbar to threaten the manager of the Forest Inn at Ashurst before tying him up. But they failed to steal the evening’s takings after he hid them in his pockets. In the third Hampshire robbery, Marshall and Haziri stole a laptop and cash from Le Chanteclerc Restaurant.

Marshall, from Wembley, was sentenced to 20 years determinant sentence with a minimum of ten years to be served.

Haziri, from Hounslow, was sentenced to 18 years with a minimum of nine years to be served less 352 days spent in custody.

Hajilou, of West London, was sentenced to nine years but will serve at least half of that less 267 days already spent in custody.