The China Mail - Third man jailed for robbery of cycling star Mark Cavendish

Jo Jobson was sentenced at Chelmsford Crown Court, east of London, 18 months after officers first issued a photo appeal identifying him as a suspect.

Judge Timothy Walker described the robbery as "targeted and carefully planned" involving "at least four people, possibly more".

Jobson, who handed himself in to police in June this year, is the third man to be sentenced for the crime.

In February, Romario Henry, 31, was jailed for 15 years for his role in the crime after being found guilty of two counts of robbery.

Ali Sesay, 28, admitted two counts of robbery and was jailed for 12 years.

Prosecutors said a balaclava-clad gang, armed with large knives, threatened the couple and took two Richard Mille watches worth a total of £700,000 ($847,000) in the early hours of November 27 2021.

Cavendish, 38, and his wife Peta were at home with their children at the time of the robbery, which the judge said had a "dreadful" effect on the family.

Prosecutor Edward Renvoize said the gang threatened the couple and "meted out violence to Cavendish during the raid.

The cyclist had suffered two broken ribs and a collapsed lung in a crash at a track event in Belgium less than a week before the incident.

Cavendish and his wife said they were "offered some comfort in the outcome reached", describing the ordeal as "harrowing, distressing and heart-breaking" for them and their children.

"To have to keep reliving the events of that horrific night, whilst trying to simultaneously heal from it is a tough path to tread," they added in a statement read to the court.

Police said they are still searching for a fourth suspect in the case.

Widely considered the best sprinter of all time, Cavendish announced in May that he would bow out at the end of the 2023 campaign.

But in October he said he would dump plans to retire so he could launch another attempt to break the record for Tour de France stage wins.

The British rider, who has 162 victories to his name, is determined to break one of the sport's most coveted records for stage wins on the Tour.

At the moment he shares the record of 34 with legendary Belgian cyclist Eddy Merckx.

T.Wu--ThChM