Hatton Garden heist: Brian Reader gets six years for 'ringleader' role in £14m jewellery raid

The key mastermind of the £14m Hatton Garden jewellery heist has been jailed for more than six years. Brian Reader, 77, known as the 'The Master', was the oldest member of the gang that broke into the central London safety deposit over the Easter bank holiday last year.

He was sentenced to six years and three months after appearing at Woolwich Crown Court via video link from Belmarsh Prison. He was too ill to appear in court when the rest of the gang was sentenced to a total of 34 years earlier this month. He suffered a stroke in prison and is undergoing tests for cancer. It is thought that he may only have months left to live.

Reader, of Dartford in Kent, was previously convicted to eight years' imprisonment over the Brink's Mat gold bullion armed robbery in 1983. He was jailed for conspiracy to handle stolen goods after the £26m raid on a warehouse at Heathrow Airport.

Police have recovered just £3.6m-worth of the haul and are hunting for the mysterious gang member known only as Basil. The unknown suspect is said to have played an "instrumental" role in the raid, but remains at large. Police have offered a £20,000 reward for information leading to his arrest and the recovery of the outstanding property.