TWO men have been jailed for a series of violent robberies on wealthy women. Mickel Holmes, 19 of Ranelagh Road, Wembley and Pedro Joseph, 22 of Bruckner Street, Queen s Park, were each given an indeterminate sentence and ordered to serve a minimum of 10

TWO men have been jailed for a series of violent robberies on wealthy women.

Mickel Holmes, 19 of Ranelagh Road, Wembley and Pedro Joseph, 22 of Bruckner Street, Queen's Park, were each given an indeterminate sentence and ordered to serve a minimum of 10 and a half years before they can apply for parole, after pleading guilty to three robberies.

A third man, 21, remains remanded in custody and will be sentenced on September 8, after pleading guilty to another robbery.

A police operation was launched after a series of extremely violent assault on wealthy women where expensive jewellery was ripped from their person.

Joseph and Holmes were arrested in the Hatton Garden area on 14 January.

They had jewellery on them that belonged to one of the victims of robbery and keys to a stolen car which was believed to have been used in one of the offences.

They pleaded guilty to attacking a women on December 29 2008 outside her home in Hampstead Garden Suburb.

The woman was pushed violently to the ground and had a hand placed around her throat.

Violence was used to steal earrings and rings before the men drove off in a nearby car.

They also admitted attacking a women by her St John's Wood home on January 4 2009, where they again pushed her to the floor and made off with her earrings and on January 13 were they attacked a women by her Hampstead home.

Det Insp Neil Thompson of the Territorial Policing Crime Squad (TPCS), said: "This was a series of violent and cowardly attacks carried out on vulnerable lone females and I would like to thank the many victims and witnesses who came forward during this investigation to help the police.

"I would also like to praise the professionalism shown by our officers and staff in bringing these violent individuals to justice.

"Hopefully the sentences given will go some way in helping the victims overcome their ordeals and will serve as a warning to others who carry out this type of crime.