Brothers in 'A-Team' gang linked to Edinburgh gem heists and drug trafficking

GANGSTER twins who carried out a gun attack on a seven-year-old boy were linked to armed heists on high-end Edinburgh jewellers.

Aldaire Warmington

Brothers Aldaire and Lincoln Warmington, 32, are facing jail after being convicted last month over the shooting of Christian Hickey and his mum Jayne in Salford, Manchester.

The pair – part of organised crime clan the A-Team – were also charged over a £730,000 raid on Rox jewellers on George Street in 2013.

According to national newspaper reports, charges against Lincoln were later dropped, while Aldaire had his not guilty plea accepted by the Crown.

The scene at Rox jewellers after the robbery in 2013

Two other men from Salford were jailed for a total of 22 years at the High Court in Glasgow.

The robbery – which lasted 90 seconds – saw a haul of expensive items snatched, including a £100,000 diamond collar.

Staff were threatened with a revolver and an axe, and one female worker was dragged across the shop at gunpoint.

Dramatic CCTV footage from the shop showed two armed men rushing into the store.

The brothers are also believed to have links to a raid at Hamilton & Inches, also on George Street in June 2014 when £1.3million of gems were taken.

Three men, carrying bladed weapons, smashed display units at the plush dealers in June of that year, before driving off in a white BMW.

Eight Patek Phillipe watches, ranging between £22,000 and £68,000, were among the items stolen.

The car used in the robbery was later found abandoned in Gloucester Lane prompting a massive police investigation.

The pair were also reportedly linked to a raid in Glasgow’s Argyll Arcade in September 2014, which netted £230,000 of watches and other valuables.

Aldaire, who has firearms convictions, was found guilty of shooting Christian in the legs during a doorstep attack in Salford in October 2015.

The Warmingtons are awaiting sentence with six other men at Manchester Crown Court.

Lincoln was convicted of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice by getting rid of a stolen Audi which was used in the attack.

The intended target was the boy’s dad – also called Christian – who escaped unhurt. The gang members will be sentenced at a later date.

The attack was revenge for the shooting of gangster Paul Massey who was shot dead three months earlier.

Christian Snr was a member of a splinter faction of the A-Team which was linked to Massey’s death.

The trial also heard that the crime group were involved in the trafficking of drugs to Edinburgh and the north-west of England.

Co-accused Carne Thomasson admitted he organised a drugs consignment to the Capital at the time of the shooting.

Detective Chief Inspector Raymond Brown of Edinburgh CID said: “On occasion, offences that occur within the capital are committed by members of crime groups who travel from other areas of the UK.

“We have long-standing working relationships with forces in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, as well as overseas, which allow us to progress a criminal investigation across borders.”