A robber who helped to tie up a pensioner who had been attacked on his doorstep with a Stanley knife has been jailed for nine years.

Abdool Auckburally, of Great Yarmouth, had entered the 69-year-male victim's home and bound him with tape and placed a towel over his head.

Auckburally, 26, of Drake Avenue, was part of a gang of three men, including his brother, and a woman who targeted their victim in Newham in London in February 2016.

The victim answered the door of his home in Upton Park to a woman dressed as a courier.

The woman, Ioana Ruxandra Costache, claimed to have a parcel for him.

While the victim spoke to her on his doorstep, Mohammed Auckburally approached the door and forced his way into the property using a Stanley knife to assault the victim as he entered.

Once inside, Mohammed Auckburally struck the victim over his head. He used tape to bind his hands, legs and mouth.

His brother Abdool Auckburally then entered the property to help him with binding the victim. They put a towel over the victim's head and placed him on the floor.

A third man, Rajdeo Aubeelock, joined the brothers and searched the house.

They stole jewellery and cash before making off. After they left the property, the victim freed himself and raised the alarm.

Police recovered £2,000 in cash from Costache's address and £10,000 from Aubeelock's home, believed by investigators to have been stolen in the raid, which saw the victim suffer minor injuries.

Mohammed Auckburally, 43, of Ripple Road, Barking, pleaded guilty on Monday, January 30 to conspiracy to rob. He was sentenced at Southwark Crown Court on Tuesday to eight years in jail.

His brother and Aubeelock, 35, of Hampton Road, Ilford were found guilty of conspiracy to rob at the same court on Friday, 26 May.

They were sentenced on Tuesday to nine and seven years' imprisonment respectively.

Costache, 28, of Ripple Road, Barking, and who is Mohammed Auckburally's wife was also found guilty of the offence on Friday, 26 May.

She was due at court on Tuesday but was not produced, and her sentencing has been re-scheduled for Friday, 30 June.