FOUR men who targeted Rownhams Services as part of a destructive campaign to burgle and rob 20 business and individuals in 18 days have been jailed for a collective 25 years.

Cashiers, customers and innocent bystanders were left “emotionally wrecked” and injured after they were targeted by Kevin Owen, Andrew Havinga, Dean Higham and John Beesley.

Some victims suffered blows and scars to their heads from hammers and chairs, others suffered the psychological damage of “waking up at night with the image of man holding a knife just inches away”.

Southampton Crown Court heard that each of the men, who laughed with one another during their sentencing, contributed to the “violent spree of robbery and burglary”, which came about as a result of the defendants’ crack-cocaine addiction.

On November 30 after 3am, with faces covered, two of the men robbed the petrol station on the M27 as part of a wider spree across Southampton and Eastleigh between November 16 and December 4.

Dressed in balaclavas and masks, the men often targeted more than one shop a day.

It was estimated by the prosecution that about £26,000 in goods was stolen and thousands of pounds more estimated in damage caused to businesses.

In the first instance, Owen, 38, was seen burgling charitable organisation Board in the City, smashing through the Onslow Road premises’ window with a traffic cone before stealing cash and a Poppy Appeal box.

From here, the men would – in some cases – team up and target other shops.

Owen and Havinga, 23, shattered the front of Chip Stop, in Eastleigh, with a trolley, this time making off with cash, tomato ketchup sachets and a salt cellar.

On another occasion, the pair were caught battering the manager of charity restaurant BySea Coffee, on Portswood Road, while demanding cash.

Next to team up were Higham, 54, and Beesley, 39.

Beesley and an unknown man, wielding a hammer, threatened staff and a customer inside Glitz Hair Salon, on Janson Road, Shirley.

Outside, Higham would wait before driving the robbers off to other destinations and away from the scene of their crime.

Prosecutor Barnaby Shaw told the court the group’s actions worsened as they continued to offend and soon some were caught on CCTV brandishing weapons, including glass bottles, tree branches and a claw hammer.

Owen, of Violet Road, Southampton, pleaded guilty to seven robberies, one assault with intent to steal and five burglaries and was sentenced to eight-and-a-half years in prison.

Havinga, of Mayfield Road, Southampton, pleaded guilty to five robberies and one burglary and was sentenced to six years in prison.

Higham, of Anson Drive, Southampton, pleaded guilty to six robberies, two burglaries, possession of a class A drug and driving while under the influence of drugs and was sentenced to six years in prison.

Beesley, of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to four robberies and two charges of fraud and was sentenced to four-and-a-half-years in prison.