A 51-year-old man has been charged with armed robbery after a series of armed robberies on betting shops in south London, including two in Thornton Heath.

Joseph Williams is accused of 12 raids which took place between January and June this year in Croydon, Bromley, Southwark and Peckham.

The 51-year-old is alleged to have held up and robbed two betting shops in Thornton Heath, Bet Fred on London Road on March 27 and William Hill on Parchmore Road on May 13 and an attempted Robbery at William Hill on Thornton Road on May 29.

Detective Chief Inspector, Paul Johnson, from the Flying Squad said: "This case involved a number of serious offences over a short period of time and caused the employees of the betting shops great fear for their safety."

Mr Williams, of no fixed abode, has been charged with 11 counts of robbery and one count of attempted robbery, as well as posessing a gun.