A GUNMAN who posed as a flat renter to carry out two “terrifying” robberies on estate agents has been jailed.

Homeless Mark O’Reilly used a sawn-off double barrelled shotgun when he lured an estate agent into a house in Gladstone Avenue, Haringey.

The 24-year-old, who pleaded guilty, was jailed for 12 years for robbery and 15 years for possessing an imitation firearm.

The first robbery, on June 15, saw O’Reilly meet a 24-year-old estate agent at a house in Bromley-by-Bow where a 20-year-old was already living. He bound their hands and feet, searched the flat and held a gun to their heads to extort pass codes for their bank cards, computers and mobile phones.

He stole cash, bank cards and an iPad before running away.

On June 21, he met an estate agent to see a house in Gladstone Avenue and asked to return later to see it with his girlfriend.

But when he arrived back at 6pm, he said his girlfriend was running late and the pair went ahead.

When inside, O’Reilly threatened the estate agent with the sawn-off shot gun and ordered to hand over his mobile phone, cash, driving licence, car key and flat keys.

He was arrested on June 24 and sentenced last Friday at Snaresbrook Crown Court.

Detective Constable Alan Henderson, from Tower Hamlets CID, said: "O'Reilly was calculated in the planning and execution of these crimes, he has shown a cold indifference to the suffering of his victims. We hope that the sentence he has received helps the victims in their recovery from the lasting mental trauma he inflicted. We know for a fact that he was planning further similar robberies when he was arrested and are pleased to have prevented him from carrying them out."