Brave daughter refused to open safe for robbers after they broke into home disguised as police officers

As the intruders - dressed as police officers with imitation firearms - rampaged around the 55-year-old's £2.5million-valued property, her daughter Emily came home.

Emily, 22, was dragged around the house by her hair by the two robbers - who threatened to burn her with an iron and said they would shoot her mother in front of her if she did not open the family's safe.

Emily, 22, was dragged around the house by her hair by the two robbers

LINKEDIN

But the 22-year-old intentionally entered the code incorrectly, telling Fulton and Evans that if she tried it again, it would trigger an alarm.

The criminals then shut the mother and daughter in a bathroom before stealing over £200,000 worth of watches, designer handbags, jewellery, cash and mobile phones.

Fulton has been handed a life sentence and must serve at least nine years and 192 days in prison, while Evans was jailed for 12 years with an extended licence period of a further four years in September.

Sentencing Fulton, 42, also known as McFarland, at Bournemouth Crown Court, Judge William Mousley said: "You are a dangerous offender, you pose a significant risk of serious harm to the public based on the facts of this case, your previous convictions and your diagnosis of a personality disorder."

Evans, also 42, of Berkhamsted, had already been given a life sentence for armed robberies in 2004 and was on licence.

MORE CRIME NEWS:

• Hammer-wielding man jailed after roaming streets in search of revenge during riots
• Developer fined £485k for illegally converting three flats into SEVEN 'inadequately sized' apartments
• Number of reported shoplifting crimes in Britain 'just a drop in ocean' as North East takes top spot for most in the country

Fulton (left) and Evans (right) must both spend over a decade behind bars

DORSET POLICE

The pair left a trail of DNA evidence all over the property, while their getaway car was caught on CCTV and found to be registered to Fulton's address.

Inside the car, police found vapes - which also had traces of the robbers' DNA on them.

Phone records showed that just two hours after the robbery, Fulton had searched online for the rare model of Patek Philippe watch stolen from the home.

Police also found online orders made by Fulton for police ID, wallets and lanyards to concoct his disguise.

Kerry Aitchison had previously told the court that her home had become a "crime scene where I thought myself and my daughter would be killed", and she remained a "mere shadow of my former self".

Evans was sentenced at Bournemouth Crown Court this week

PA

Emily, an estate agent, had been unable to leave the house for six weeks after the robbery - and cried every day for a month.

Fulton admitted two counts of robbery, possession of an imitation firearm, three offences of fraud and three of possessing identity documents with improper intent, one of possession of an article for use in fraud and possession of cocaine.

Evans pleaded guilty to two robberies, possession of an imitation firearm and one count of fraud for a false passport.

Dorset Police's Detective Inspector Shaun Inkpen said: "This was an extremely distressing incident where the victims were put through a terrifying ordeal within their own home.

"I would like to express my thanks to them both as they have displayed immense courage and bravery throughout our investigation."