Jeweller David Price has today told how he is still haunted by the robbery ordeal as he told of his gratitude that the gang who terrorised him was now behind bars.

The 57-year-old was subjected to a terrifying gun-point raid which left him fearing he was going to be executed.

Yesterday he was in court to see the violent trio jailed for a total of 27 years.

But despite seeing justice served he will never forget the moment he feared they would shoot him as they raided his business, Barry Papworth Jewellers in Lymington.

Speaking after the sentencing, Mr Price, who has since installed extra security at the store he has run for ten years, said: “I’m very pleased and grateful to the police.

“It brings closure now I know they are not out there anymore.

“It’s been nearly a year now and I’m trying to put it behind me but you can’t put it out of your mind – it’s always there.”

His ordeal began with the gang bursting into his shop, forcing him to kneel before thrusting a pistol at his head.

Obscuring their faces with turbans and burkhas, they then set about violently smashing display panels before escaping with cash and jewellery worth £60,000.

Today the gang are waking up behind bars after a judge described how their “sophisticated” raid had rocked the picturesque and peaceful town of Lymington.

Tudorel Dogaru, 44, was sentenced to 13 years for his part in the robbery at Barry Papworth Jewellers.

He received a higher sentence than his accomplices after it was revealed in court that he had previously been convicted of murder in Germany, having drugged and kidnapped a man before killing him.

His accomplices Mugerel Megelea, 37, and Sergiu Popirtac, 39, were sent down for seven years each.

All three had admitted conspiracy to commit robbery.

The court heard how the trio pulled up in an Alfa Romeo car outside the St Thomas Street jewellers on October 17 and Dogaru entered first, disguised in a headdress.

Prosecutor Jane Terry said that Mr Price – who was working alone – “thought it was a joke” until Dogaru brandished the weapon and shouted “get down”.

Ms Terry described how Mr Price had the weapon held to his head while Megelea and Popirtac smashed the glass panels and grabbed jewellery.

She said: “He felt very threatened and said to them ‘take everything you can’.”

The court was told how Mr Price “thought they were going to shoot him”, before they fled and was so frightened he could not open up again for four days.

The vehicle was later found dumped in Sway with spray paint obscuring potential fingerprints but the burkhas and other ties contained their DNA.

Police eventually arrested the gang in their home country of Romania after obtaining a European arrest warrant.

In mitigation, defending barristers claimed that the weapon – which was never recovered – had been an “imitation firearm”.

Richard Jewel, for Dogaru, said that his client was regretful, he was not the main organiser and had been “nervous” about carrying out the robbery.

Richard Onslow, representing Megelea, who has previous convictions for possessing a firearm, said that his client had pleaded guilty at the first opportunity.

Paul Farley, mitigating for Popirtac, who had previous sentences for violence, said that his client did not take a leading role and had been “persuaded” to join in.

But sentencing them, Judge Peter Ralls described the raid as “sophisticated” and “pre-planned”, and said that it had rocked the picturesque and peaceful town of Lymington.

Describing what Mr Price endured, Judge Ralls said: “He can’t stop thinking about it. He thought the trigger would be pulled, there would be no witnesses and he would not see his family again.”