A gang of men have been jailed for a total of more than 10 years for stealing £40,000 in pound coins from gambling machines.

The group used electronic devices to trick high-stakes gambling machines at services stations, including Cherwell Valley on the M40, into paying out £500 jackpots.

Thomas Wheatcroft, Paul Hircombe, James Sharpe, Charlie Shaw and Adam Barnard, all from Portsmouth, were jailed at Oxford Crown Court yesterday after earlier admitting conspiracy to steal.

Darren Carrick, of Cosham, earlier admitted money laundering the pound coins and was also jailed.

A seventh man will be sentenced on Monday.