Four men have been jailed for a combined 38 years after violently robbing and assaulting a group of friends at a house in Brentwood.

On July 5, 2019, a group of six friends stayed overnight at a house in Hatch Road after travelling home from a festival.

In the early hours of the morning - at around 4.45am - they were woken up by three men wearing masks who had forced entry into the property.

The group was held at knifepoint and robbed.

One of the victims was also stabbed in the leg and arm in an unprovoked attack.

He sustained life-changing injuries.

Following the robbery, Essex police found several mobile phones and bank cards belonging to the victims in a nearby drain.

Fingerprints belonging to 40-year-old Mark Emmanuel, of Warton Road in Stratford, were recovered at the house.

He was arrested and charged with robbery in January 2020.

Five months into the investigation, three of Emmanuel's acquaintances were also arrested and charged for their involvement.

All four men appeared at Basildon Crown Court in August 2021.

Emmanuel pleaded guilty to a charge of conspiracy to rob, while the other three were convicted of the same charge - and several others - by a jury.

The men were sentenced at Basildon Crown Court on March 25 and April 28 this year.

Emmanuel was sentenced to nine years' imprisonment following his guilty plea.

Kevin Kabakaki, 37, of Dickens Road in East Ham and Craig Cephas, 29, of Bell Farm Avenue in Dagenham, were jailed for nine and ten years respectively.

Daniel Simpson, 33, of Northampton, was also sentenced to ten years' imprisonment.

Investigating officer Det Con Jodie Barnes said the victims were nothing short of terrorised" by the four robbers.

Det Con Barnes added: “One victim spent considerable time in hospital recovering from his injuries and I can’t begin to imagine the mental impact that night must have had on each and every one of them.

“Up until trial, all four men repeatedly denied their involvement. Kabakaki, Cephas and Simpson continue to take zero responsibility for their actions.

“They all deserve to be behind bars and I’m glad we’ve been able to deliver justice for the victims.”