A LEGAL bid was launched yesterday to recover some of the millions of pounds gained by a notorious criminal family who raided a string of stately homes.

The group, all part of the notorious Johnson traveller family, were jailed for up to 11 years each in January 2008 after they stole antiques worth millions of pounds from wealthy homes, some of which were in Oxfordshire.

They appeared at Reading Crown Court yesterday for the beginning of a week-long confiscation hearing that could see them having to pay back some of the money.

Simon Burns, prosecuting, described the Johnsons as a "professional, criminal family team", and added that "they were all operating as a joint team, and benefiting as a joint team".

He said they each had different roles to play in the raids but had joint control, and told the court: "They didn't want outsiders."

When police arrested the gang, they estimated the total haul was worth £30 million.

Richard "Chad" Johnson, 34, and Daniel O'Loughlin, 33, were both jailed for 11 years, Michael Nicholls, 30, was given 10 years, Albi Johnson, 27, was jailed for nine years and 55-year-old Ricky Johnson was given eight years.

Ricky Johnson is the father of Chad and Albi and O'Loughlin is his nephew. Nicholls was the partner of his daughter, Faye.

The family were based at a static caravan park in Evesham, Worcestershire, where they plotted the high-value raids.

They were all found guilty of conspiracy to commit burglary between April 8 2005 and October 13 2006 following a month-long trial at Reading Crown Court.

A valuations expert is due to give evidence to the hearing tomorrow, the court was told.