A man who staged an armed robbery at a post office in Banstead has been jailed for 12 years.

Lewis Vivian, 53, of Stafford Road, Wallington, was sentenced after being found guilty of the robbery at Guildford Crown Court yesterday (May 20).

Mr Vivian threatened staff with a handgun at a family-run post office on Woodmansterne Street in Banstead on December 12, 2018, at around 9pm.

Describing the incident, Surrey Police said: "A member of staff...was getting ready to close the shop just before 9pm on December 12 when he was confronted by Vivian, who had jumped on the counter and was demanding money.

"Vivian then threatened the staff member with a handgun before stealing over £2,000 in cash," police said.

He was arrested in January 2019 after CCTV images, which captured footage of the armed robbery, were used by Metropolitan Police officers to identify Mr Vivian and then share the information with Surrey Police.

Detective Constable Martin O’Neill, who investigated the incident, said: "Fortunately, no one was injured during the robbery but this was a terrifying ordeal for the family who run the post office and one which will haunt them for the rest of their lives.

"I would like to praise them for their immense bravery in coming forward and giving evidence, and hope that the sentence given to Vivian will help them come to terms with their ordeal.

"The sentence given to Vivian should also serve as a warning to anyone else planning on coming to Surrey and committing a crime that this will not be tolerated, and we will do everything in our power to ensure that if you do, you will be identified and brought before the courts."