The trial of two Basildon men who were part of a gang committing robberies up and down the country came to a dramatic end when they changed their pleas.

Kevin Taylor, 21, and Peter Williams, 22, pleaded guilty to a charge of conspiring to commit robberies and a second charge of conspiring to possess an imitation firearm with intent to commit robberies.

They had earlier denied the charges at the start of a trial at Luton Crown Court in Beds. Many of the robberies were in south Essex.

A third defendant, Nicola Yates, 20, who had also denied the charges, then pleaded guilty to a charge of handling stolen goods - £30 in silver. Following her plea, the prosecution announced they would not be proceeding with a trial against her as it would not be in the "public interest".

Judge Terrence Maher directed the jury to find Yates not guilty of the two conspiracy charges and gave her a conditional discharge for 12 months.

Judge Maher said both Williams, of Briscoe Road, Pitsea, and Taylor, of Falstones, will be sentenced at the end of November after the compilation of pre sentence reports.

Both Williams and Taylor were granted bail. They were said to have stolen around £130,000 during the period of the conspiracy.

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