<p><br /> The leader of an armed robbery gang has learned that he is likely to die in jail after being convicted by a judge in an historic trial without a jury.<br /> </p><p><br /> Career criminal John Twomey, 62, was sentenced to 20 years and six months for leading a £1.75 million raid on a Heathrow warehouse in February 2004. Tattooed Twomey wiped away tears and waved to a woman who wept in the public gallery as he was taken down to begin his sentence.<br /> </p><p><br /> Fellow robber Peter Blake was jailed for life with a minimum term of ten years and nine months by Mr Justice Treacy at the Old Bailey. Twomey's brother-in-law, Glenn Cameron, 50, and QPR football thug Barry Hibberd, 43, who also took part, were sentenced to 15 years and 17 years and six months respectively.<br /> </p><p><br /> New laws meant the trial could be heard by a judge alone after the Court of Appeal ruled there was a serious danger that a jury could be nobbled. It was the first serious criminal trial to be held without a jury in England and Wales.<br /> </p><p><br /> Ringleader Twomey has already faced three trials over the robbery but evaded justice thanks to a heart attack in the first and a hung jury in the second.<br /> </p><p><br /> A third attempt ground to halt over claims of jury tampering and the Court of Appeal ordered a trial by a judge alone.<br /> </p>
