Two men have been jailed for a total of 22 years following three knife point robberies in three days at businesses in Hadleigh and Canvey.

At Basildon Crown Court, Paul Stevenson, 39, of no fixed address, received a 12-year sentence for three robberies and a 12-month sentence for three counts of possession of a knife, to run together.

George Turner, 21, of no fixed address, received 10 years for one count of robbery at the same hearing.

They both previously pleaded guilty to the offences.

At about 3.30pm on Friday, October 6, Stevenson entered Belgravia Florist in High Road, Hadleigh, armed with a knife and demanded cash from a till.

He left with a three-figure sum of cash.

The following day he entered Greetings to You, also in High Road, at 4.30pm and threatened another worker with a knife before leaving again with cash.

On Sunday, October 8, Stevenson and Turner walked into the Co-Op in Meppel Avenue, on Canvey, at about 6.15pm.

Turner stood by the door and looked out while Stevenson walked up to a worker, put a knife to his back and demanded cash.

Staff were left shaken, but unhurt.

Witnesses reported at least eight police cars racing to the scene where the entrance to the shop was taped off while a forensic examination of the shop took place.

While searching the till, Stevenson left his fingerprint on a receipt. Police arrested Turner on Tuesday, October 10, before arresting Stevenson two days later.

The result has been welcomed by the community and sends a strong message to violent criminals.

Dave Blackwell, councillor for the Canvey Independent Party, said: “I think that’s something which we have all been calling for for a long time.

“It will please the residents and the police especially because a lot of the officers I deal with get frustrated when they put a lot of work into bringing an offender to court for them only to be handed a suspended sentence.

“I’ve always said give them a long sentence and they will think twice before doing it again. It should be the same for drug offences as well.

“This kind of excellent result puts the faith back in the police for the community.

“It takes a lot of work to bring them to court and it’s two armed criminals off the streets.”