A demoted Asda baker helped a gang raid his supermarket in a violent robbery which saw one of the shop workers pistol-whipped and £80,000 stolen.

In-store baker Parminder Bharij, 30, of Woolwich Road, Greenwich, had just been demoted from his previous role as cashier when he helped the gang hatch their plan.

At 11.25pm on February 4, Fabian Campbell, 26, of Slagrove Place, Lewisham, and 25-year-old Hassan Hussyein, of Southend Lane, Catford, parked at the back of the Clapton shop and went in through the loading bay.

Once inside, the pair - along with a third, unidentified man - attacked a 52-year-old employee, shoving him to the ground and holding a gun to his head before demanding he take them to the shop office.

While in the office, a 23-year-old employee walked in on them. Once in the office, the robbers grabbed a 23-year-old employee, demanding he open the safe in the cash room next door. 

When he resisted, one of the men pistol-whipped him and sprayed CS gas into his eyes.

Once the safe was unlocked, they took £80,000 in cash, stashing it in a hold-all before tying up the employees before trying to flee.

In the loading bay they came across another employee, aged 30, who was tied to a stock trolley before the robbers jumped into a getaway car.

Following the robbery, detectives from the Flying Squad conducted a forensic examination of the cash room, finding a small brown rag under the door, DNA from which matched Campbell's.

They also searched through hours of CCTV  to capture the robbers’ journey in a VW Polo Saloon car to the supermarket. Following extensive police enquiries the vehicle was found to belong to Hussyein.

Each of the trio was found guilty of conspiracy to commit robbery. At the Old Bailey yesterday (May 18), Campbell was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment, Hussyein to 13 years and Bharij was handed an eight-year jail term.

Detective Constable Andy Terry said: "The gang plotted a raid on the supermarket using Bharij’s knowledge of its layout, staffing and the work patterns to help them. 

"They demonstrated their willingness to be violent to the staff who were just going about their usual work that night but will now doubtless spend the rest of their lives recalling this horrific incident."