Man convicted of helping in £40m heist

Aman Kassaye, 24, of no fixed address, forced a young shop assistant to help steal gems worth 40 million at gunpoint at Graff Diamonds in Mayfair, central London, last summer.

Kassaye was convicted at Woolwich Crown Court, London, of kidnap, conspiracy to rob and possessing a firearm. He was acquitted of a further gun possession charge.

The jury was last night still deliberating in the case of six co-defendants, who all deny charges relating to the robbery.

The gems taken in the robbery have never been recovered.

Kassaye used a professional make-up artist to disguise his appearance and a series of getaway cars to escape across the capital.

The raiders shot at anyone who got in their way, the court was told. Footage was shown to the jury of Kassaye firing a shot in the street outside the store as passers-by began to realise what was happening, sending them running for cover.

Kassaye's defence rested on his assertion that the raid was carried out "by someone remarkably like him".

But Petra Ehnar, the shop assistant held at gunpoint during the raid, identified him.

Philip Bennetts, for the prosecution, told jurors that after what happened "his facial features would be etched in her mind forever".

Ms Ehnar said she was "petrified" when she was forced to empty the store's display cabinet with a gun to her back.

Meanwhile, her manager, Martin Leggatt, was forced to lie on the floor and had a gun pointed at his head.

She was made to hand over 43 pieces of jewellery worth a total of 40 million. One diamond necklace was valued at 3.5m.