An armed man who robbed a security guard of more than £20,000 and was involved in a late-night armed supermarket robbery will be sentenced next month.

James Mansbridge, 41, of no fixed address, has been found guilty of handling stolen goods after an armed robbery at Sainsbury’s in Bansons Lane, Ongar, on June 24 2013.

Five suspects, one armed with what is believed to be a shotgun, confronted three night staff members and tied them up in a store room.

One of the victims was also struck in the face with the gun.

The gang stole items worth more than £62,000, including alcohol, tobacco, electricals and lottery scratch cards, and also took a four-figure sum of cash.

The gang broke into the supermarket at 12.40am and left at about 2am.

The staff managed to raise the alarm at about 2.20am.

Three days later, Essex Police and Metropolitan Police searched a yard in Willoughby Drive, Rainham.

They found the stolen items in a container along with Sean Geary, 32, who was arrested on suspicion of handling stolen goods.

Mansbridge and Lee Cox, 33, unemployed, of Crescent Road, Dagenham, were later also arrested on suspicion of handling stolen goods.

They denied the charges but were convicted on May 12 following a trial at Basildon Crown Court.

Geary, of no fixed address, admitted the charge at an earlier hearing.

Last year, car salesman Mansbridge admitted charges of robbery, possession of an offensive weapon in a public place and possession of a firearm in relation to the security guard robbery.

Along with accomplice Paul Jones, 37, he followed the guard into Vanas Pharmacy and Post Office in Pitsea and threatened him in front of staff and customers on December 17 2014.

The pair, who were armed with a knife and a handgun, stole a cash box containing more than £20,000 from the guard.

A shot was fired during the robbery, but no-one was hurt.

Mansbridge and Jones fled in a Vauxhall Astra but were tracked to Romford within an hour and arrested, thanks to a tip off from the public and help from the Metropolitan Police.

The money was also recovered.

Mansbridge, Jones, Cox and Geary will be sentenced next month.