A teenaged illegal immigrant who was part of a gang who robbed a man at gunpoint before shooting his dog and threatening his children, has been jailed for 12 years.

The victim was also shot at during the ordeal and had his nose broken. The dog made a full recovery.

Jermaine Ramone Clarke, 19, of New Cross, was sentenced to seven years for robbery and five years for possessing a firearm at Kingston Crown Court on Tuesday, after being convicted on March 5.

The court earlier heard three men robbed a 41-year-old in Aliwal Road, Battersea, on March 23, last year.

One attacker had a handgun and beat the victim about the head with it, before robbing him of jewellery and his watch.

The victim also was head-butted and bitten on the right arm before the robbers took him to his home, where they demanded money and threatened to harm his children if he failed to co-operate.

As they got through the front door the victim trapped Clarke in the hallway behind his front door, leading one of the other attackers to fire the gun through the door three times.

As the victim was forced to release Clarke one of the men shot the victim's Staffordshire bull terrier in the chest before the three fled.

Clarke was later arrested in the area.

Detective Inspector Gill Barratt, of the Metropolitan police’s trident south shooting team, said: “This was a difficult investigation but the commitment of the officers involved has led to today's sentence which I hope will act as a deterrent to others.

“Enquires continue into the offenders outstanding and the recovery of the firearm. I urge anyone with any information concerning this incident and any other suspects to contact police.”

Those with information should contact police on 020 8785 8580 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Clarke will be liable to deportation to Jamaica at the end of his prison sentence.