'Grass' helps jail corrupt police

Corrupt detectives secured the early release of a convicted robber to help with a £1.2 million security van raid, the Old Bailey has been told. But after criminal Hector Harvey split the proceeds with them he testified against them.

Three officers, who cannot be named, were jailed for seven years for conspiracy to steal and perverting the course of justice. A fourth admitted stealing and was jailed for six years. A fifth was cleared.

Harvey, 42, called The Selector, admitted robbery. He got four years and four months jail, reduced from 21 years because he testified.

The court heard how in 1994 he became a police informer and was let out temporarily to take part in a "dry-run" of the security van raid. Police planned to swoop on the real thing a week later.

In fact Harvey and two others carried out the robbery, and four furious corrupt detectives forced him to share his proceeds with them.

But in 1997 Harvey agreed to help the anticorruption probe.