Hatton Garden raider, 76, had previously been jailed over £26m armed robbery in 1983

One of the men involved in the Hatton Garden raid - the biggest burglary in English legal history - had previously spent eight years behind bars in connection with the £26 million Brinks Mat gold bullion armed robbery in 1983, a court was told.

Brian 'The Master' Reader, who at 76 is the oldest member of the Hatton Garden gang, was jailed for eight years for for conspiracy to handle stolen goods after the raid in Hounslow, west London, more than 30 years ago.

The jury sitting at Woolwich Crown Court today were told he was also given a further year in prison for dishonestly handling £66,000 in cash.

Reader, of Dartford Road, Dartford, has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit burglary at the Hatton Garden Safe Deposit company and will be sentenced at a later date, along with three others.

Terry Perkins, aged 67, of Heene Road, Enfield, has admitted a similar charge - and jurors heard he has previously spent 22 years in jail for robbing the vaults of Securicor, also known as Security Express, in April 1983.

John 'Kenny' Collins, aged 75, of Bletsoe Walk, Islington, and Daniel Jones, 60, of Park Avenue, Enfield, have also admitted their part in the Hatton Garden theft.

Collins has convictions for offences including breaking in, theft and handling stolen goods, while Jones has previously been convicted for offences of robbery, burglary and handling stolen goods.

Four other men are currently on trial accused of being involved in the Hatton Garden raid:

• Carl Wood, 58, of Elderbeck Close, Cheshunt, Hertfordshire: Charged with conspiracy to commit burglary between May 17, 2014, and 7.30am on April 5 this year.

• William 'Bill' Lincoln, 60, of Winkley Street, Bethnal Green, east London: Charged with conspiracy to commit burglary between May 17, 2014, and 7.30am on April 5 this year.

• Jon Harbinson, 42, of Beresford Gardens, Benfleet, Essex: Charged with conspiracy to commit burglary between May 17, 2014, and 7.30am on April 5 this year.

• Hugh Doyle, 48, of Riverside Gardens, Enfield, north London: Charged on one count of conspiracy to conceal, convert or transfer criminal property between January 1 and May 19 this year. He also faces an alternative charge of concealing, converting or transferring criminal property between April 1 and May 19 this year.

Another burglar, known only as a red-haired man called Basil, has not been identified.

All four deny the charges against them.

The trial continues.