A man who skipped bail and fled the country after committing two robberies has been jailed.

Adam Rubinstein, 29, previously of Bushey, Hertfordshire, fled to Israel after carrying out the robberies in Stanmore in 2010.

At Harrow Crown Court today he was sentenced to two years and eight months in prison.

Rubinstein was first arrested in 2010 after the robbery of a man and a woman in the car park of a Stanmore supermarket in the early hours of Sunday, June 20.

The male victim was punched in the face and left him with serious injuries and resulted in him being hospitalised.

Rubinstein stole a wallet, mobile phones and a handbag from the couple, before escaping the scene in a car with two other occupants.

The day after the attack the two other people in the car attended a police station and reported the matter to the police.

Rubinstein was arrested by police on suspicion of robbery, attempted fraud and grievous bodily harm a few days later at his Bushey home.

During his police interview he admitted the crime and was bailed while officers carried out further enquiries.

He did not return on bail and an investigation on border checks found he had flown from London to Riga, Latvia, on August 1.

Checks with Interpol revealed he then travelled on to Israel, where he reportedly had family and had previously served in the army.

Officers then began the long process of extradition from Israel back to the UK began.

He was finally arrested and a judge in Jerusalem declared Rubenstein would be sent back to the UK because at the time of the offences he was not an Israeli citizen.

PC Francis Shepherd of Harrow Police said: "After four frustrating years of hard work it is very satisfying to finally charge Adam Rubinstein with two counts of violent robbery, so that justice can be seen to be done. Both of his victims are incredibly pleased and grateful.

"If we had not instigated this long drawn out process of extradition, he would never have voluntarily returned."