• Watch a video of the robbery here.

Professional footballer Ashley Sestanovich has been jailed for eight years for his part in planning a robbery that ended in murder.

Sestanovich, 25, a former Sheffield United player and body double for Arsenal star Thierry Henry in a sportswear advertisement, was convicted of conspiracy to rob after helping plan the payroll robbery at a Streatham roofing firm in June 2005 that ended in the shooting of dad-of-one Thomas Fahey.

Damien Ennis, 26, and Hallroy Reid, 40, were convicted of the murder of Mr Fahey, 42, who was shot in the stomach during the raid on his family's roofing business on June 24, 2005.

Mr Fahey had been paying a surprise visit to see his brother at the firm in Streatham when the two armed robbers burst in.

The court was told the pair had expected to find the company's payroll after receiving inside knowledge from Sestanovich, from Clapham, that most of the firm's workers were due to be paid their wages that day in cash.

Instead of the money and business boss Laurence Fahey, the pair found his brother Thomas, who was showing photographs of his newborn daughter to three of his brother's colleagues.

During the bungled raid, Reid fired the gun in the direction of Mr Fahey, but the bullet hit a chair and ricocheted off it.

In panic, Reid and Ennis then fled the office, quickly followed by Mr Fahey and the other workers.

Once in the open space of the building yard, Reid turned, aimed the gun at Thomas Fahey and shot hit in the stomach.

Mr Fahey was taken to St George's Hospital, Tooting, before being transferred to Kings College where he died seven months later on January 30, 2006.

Ennis, from Tusle Hill, and Reid, from Battersea, were found guilty of murder and jailed for life with minimum terms of 30 and 35 years respectively.

The judge has also recommended the pair be deported to Jamaica.

Speaking outside the court, Detective Chief Inspector Martin Huxley from Barnes flying squad said it had been a complex investigation.

"Ennis and Reid were part of a gang who were clearly prepared to use any force necessary and have shown no remorse towards any of their victims," D Chief Insp Huxley said.

"They are the most dangerous of individuals whose violent nature was shown when they shot Thomas - an innocent, unarmed man, whom they had never met before.

"Full of the joys of fatherhood, Thomas had flown across from Ireland to pay a surprise visit to his brother at work, fatefully arriving on the morning of the robbery.

"If they had not been imprisoned today, I am certain that they would have remained a constant threat to all of those who have contact with them."

Detective Sergeant Steve Kiely added: "The sentences mark the end of an extensive 18-month investigation by the flying squad into a ruthless gang of armed robbers.

"It was particularly satisfying to identify and convict Ashley Sestanovich, without whom the robbery at Fahey Roofing would never have taken place.

"I hope today brings some form of closure to the family whose patience and unwavering support was of immense help to those officers involved in the investigation."

  • To read the family's reaction to the sentencing click here
  • Watch a video of the robbery here.