A MAN and woman who targeted fruit machines at eight pubs in one night have been jailed.

John Joseph Ryan, 39, of Paulet Way, Brent and Lucy Claire Turner, 24, of Thyra Grove, Finchley were sentenced at Wood Green Crown Court on Tuesday March 15.

The pair targeted various pubs including The Tally Ho in North Finchley, The Black Horse in High Barnet, Five Bells in East Finchley and Brent Tavern in Cricklewood from June 24 to 25, 2010.

A witness who was working at Tally Ho pub said he heard a banging noise coming from part of the building at around 7am on June 25.

He looked out of the window and saw Turner in a silver 4x4 car who waved back at him.

He went to the back of the pub where he found Ryan smashing his way into a fruit machine with a sledgehammer to get the cash inside.

Ryan threatened the member of staff with the sledgehammer and continued to break into another fruit machine before driving away in the 4x4.

The witness had noted the vehicle’s registration which he handed to police and at around 8.30 am officers discovered the 4x4 abandoned in a car park.

An Audi had left the car park moments before and after searching for the vehicle, police found it being driven by Ryan, with Turner as a passenger.

The officers signalled for the Audi to stop but it drove off at speed crashing into two cars in front of school gates.

In Broadhurst Avenue, Edgware, Ryan rammed a police car in his efforts to escape but officers managed to stop the Audi and both Ryan and Turner were arrested.

Ryan was charged with 17 offences including the aggravated burglary at Tally Ho public house and seven counts of burglary of different pubs across the borough and was remanded in custody.

He was found guilty following a trial and sentenced to five years and six months in prison. Ryan was also disqualified from driving for four years.

Turner was charged with 15 offences but the court decided she could be released on bail.

However, on June 27 she was arrested for involvement in another burglary in Edgware and was subsequently remanded in custody.

Turner had pleaded guilty to offences and was sentenced to two years and 24 weeks in prison and was disqualified from driving for one year.

Detective constable Martin Brown said: “This was a reckless and brazen crime spree.

“Their greed overrode any other consideration and the length of the sentences reflects this total disregard for the law or the safety of others.

“I think Barnet residents should be relieved the court has seen fit to ensure the sentences reflect the severity of their crimes.”