A "PROFESSIONAL" burglar who was part of a gang behind a £110,000 raid on a Ringwood jewellery shop has been jailed.

Samuel Boylan, 28, was sentenced to to three years behind bars after pleading guilty to a single count of burglary at Southampton Crown Court yesterday.

Boylan was found not guilty of a charge of robbery.

The court heard that three masked men had forced their way into Allum and Sidaway Jewellers on March 11 2016 before stealing a huge haul of Pandora charms.

The following day three masked men robbed a cash-in-transit security van outside Shirley Santander, in the High Street. A security guard was attacked with a wooden stick and a cash box containing £42,000 of dyed notes was stolen.

Police connected the incidents when the empty cash box was found discarded by a road next to a crowbar and three small Pandora charms which matched the description of some of the missing jewellery.

Boylan, who refused to identify his accomplices, admitted to taking part in the burglary on the jewellers.

However, he said he knew nothing about the robbery.

The court heard the defendant, who was seen the day before the burglary doing "reconnaissance work" at the store, had said there were four people involved in the incident.

The fourth man was a getaway driver, he said.

Jurors were told the men went to the store equipped with a sledgehammer, axe and crowbar.

Afterwards, the gang split the loot up.

Boylan owed one of the men money, so gave him most of his share to settle the debt.

When leaving the shop, the man put both their shares in Boylan's rucksack and took the bag with him.

The defendant said he spent the night of the security van robbery at home.

Jurors heard the father-of-one's DNA was found on the cash box and the crowbar found with it.

But Boylan, of Honeysuckle Road, Bassett, denied any involvement in the robbery.

He said the crowbar had been in the car the night before, which was how his DNA came to be on it.

He also told jurors he had not realised that he had left his hat and gloves in the rucksack with the loot the other man took away.

He claimed the three accomplices must have then used the equipment the next day which is how his DNA was found on the cash box.

In mitigation for the burglary charge, Peter Asteris said Boylan had a history of mental health issues and depression as well as a previous addiction to former legal high Spice.

"When he gets out he wants to stay clean," Mr Asteris said.

"He has asked for a short enough sentence that he will still get to see his daughter grow up and a long enough one that he can make sure he can stay clean."

Judge Peter Henry told the defendant: "You have, sadly, an appalling record, 25 previous convictions for 63 offences starting in 2000.

"They were mostly public order and violence offences at the beginning but it was not long before you embarked on your career as a professional burglar.

"I accept you have mental health problems and that some of the reason you burgle things is to fund your drug problem.

"I just hope that when you come out we don't continually see you in the future."