A SOUTHAMPTON man jailed after a violent £300,000 robbery has had a bout of conscience and helped reunite his elderly victims with most of the precious heirlooms that were stolen.

Christopher Doughty was jailed for 17 years for his part in the horrific crime after a trial at Hove Crown Court in February 2009.

During the terrifying ordeal retired major Tom Williams, 76, and his wife Sarah, 70, were tied up and battered before their antiques and personal jewellery worth more than £300,000 were stolen.

Mr Williams was even told his fingernails would be pulled out with pliers unless he revealed where the keys to his safe were during the raid at his home at Aldsworth House, near Chichester in June 2006.

But Doughty’s prison sentence was cut by two years after he agreed to cooperate with police to return as much of the missing property as he could, fearing that officers would use their powers under the Proceeds of Crime Act to seize his family home in Southampton.

Now most of the missing heirlooms have been given back after they were sent to a solicitors near the Williams’ home. Other valuables including medals, swords and firearms awarded to the Williams family for military service since 1790 were recovered three days after the break-in.

Doughty, 49, of Holly Gardens, in Southampton, was arrested by armed police as he delivered some of the items to a flat in Hove.

A confiscation hearing at Hove Crown Court heard that all but £70,000 of the couple’s property had been recovered. Doughty’s only asset is a £40,000 interest in his family home in Southampton.

But Judge Guy Anthony ordered that the sum should be confiscated from Doughty and paid as compensation to Mr and Mrs Williams.

He will have to serve a further 18 months in prison if he does not pay up within six months.

Matthew Jewell, defending, said Doughty intends to pay back the cash but not necessarily through the sale of the house.

Judge Anthony added that it was “unusual but pleasing” that most of the property had been given back.

Mrs Williams, 70, said she was delighted most of her property had been returned. She said: “After a five-year investigation, the police and Crown Prosecution Service have brought it to a satisfactory conclusion through sheer hard work and persistence.”