Three men were caught red-handed when police found them with dye-stained cash stolen during a bank raid in Wandsworth, a court has heard.

Police ambushed a van within hours of the robbery and found some of the stolen money inside.

At Croydon Crown Court on Tuesday, James Goddard, 28, of no fixed address, Scott Jackson, 30, of Carshalton, and 26-year-old Dean Kiely, of Wallington, were given suspended sentences after admitting a charge of handling the proceeds of crime.

Prosecuting, Julius Capon said £25,000 was snatched in a robbery outside Barclays bank in Wandsworth on March 26 and, a few hours later, a Suzuki van carrying the three defendants was stopped by police in New Malden.

He said: “The van mounted the pavement, just missing pedestrians. Kiely was seen stuffing money into his clothing and get out.”

More than £7,500 was found – mostly marked with dye activated at the time of the robbery.

Julia Kresh, defending, said Goddard wanted to apologise to Jackson and Kiely for their having become involved.

For Jackson and Kiely, Helen Curtis said their part in the offence had been very short.

But Judge Nicholas Ainley said they must have known what they were doing, although he accepted none of the three had had anything to do with the robbery.

Goddard was given a nine-month sentence suspended for two years and 200 hours unpaid work.

Jackson was given six-month sentence suspended for two years, with 150 hours unpaid work.

Kiely, who also pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, had 12-months suspended for two years, with a six months' home curfew from 9pm to 6am. He was also banned from driving for three years.