Pair jailed for burglary of £4.75m golden toilet from Blenheim Palace

North Wales Chronicle

2 days ago

A gang of thieves smashed their way in to the palace and ripped out the fully-functioning 18-carat gold toilet during a raid in 2019.
James Sheen, 40, and Michael Jones, 39, were part of the gang who planned and carried out the burglary of the Oxfordshire stately home.
The toilet was created by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan and was a star attraction in an exhibition at Blenheim Palace – the house where Sir Winston Churchill was born.
The heist took place hours after a glamorous launch party, and the distinctive toilet was split up or melted down and sold on soon after it was stolen and has never been recovered.
The toilet was stolen during a five-minute raid by sledgehammer-wielding thieves, Oxford Crown Court heard.
They drove through locked wooden gates into the grounds of the palace in two stolen vehicles before breaking in through a window.
Entitled America, the toilet weighed approximately 98 kilograms, was insured for six million US dollars (£4.75 million) and was made from gold which was itself worth about £2.8 million.
Sheen, of Wellingborough, Northamptonshire had previously admitted burglary, conspiracy to transfer criminal property and one count of transferring criminal property.
Jones, of Oxford, was found guilty of burglary following a trial.
Passing sentence, Judge Ian Pringle KC said: 'This bold and brazen heist took no more than five-and-a-half minutes to complete.
'America has never been seen again.'
Sheen was jailed for four years and his sentence will run consecutively to the 19 years and four-month sentence he is currently serving for attacks on cash machines, a museum burglary and fraud.
'You were part of the gang of five men who smashed their way into Blenheim Palace that night and stole the hugely valuable golden toilet,' the judge said.
'You were almost certainly the figure that carried the sledgehammer on which your DNA was found and which was used to sever the functioning toilet from its connecting pipes.
'I say straight away I have no doubt at all that the sentence I pass must be consecutive to the sentence you are currently serving.
'Not to do so would be to send out a message that you did this without any penalty at all.'
Judge Pringle jailed Jones for 27 months after concluding he could not be sure he was part of the gang that carried out the burglary.
'You paid visits on two occasions to Blenheim Palace in the days leading up to the burglary,' he said.
'That your role was to carry out a reconnaissance of the museum, to know exactly where the golden toilet was situated and to work out the quickest route in and out of the palace, I have absolutely no doubt whatsoever.
'Although you have no witnesses to where you were on the night in question, I cannot be sure that you were part of the group of burglars who broke into the palace that night.'
Michael Neofytou, representing Sheen, said due to his current prison term he was not due for release for another seven years.
'If released in 2032 he will have served over half his life in prison,' he said.
'The offence was relatively unsophisticated, and entry gained by smashing a window with a sledgehammer, which was left at the scene with his DNA on.
'In reality, he did nothing to make the primary offending more difficult to detect. He left a great deal of evidence that led to his door in October 2019.'
Jeffrey Israel, defending Jones, said he should be sentenced on the basis he was not part of the gang who took part in the burglary.
'His role was limited to the two reconnaissance visits only,' he said.
'There is no suggestion he benefitted materially or personally from the burglary.'
During his trial, Jones told jurors he 'took advantage of' the gold toilet's 'facilities' while at the country house the day before it was taken.
Asked what it was like, Jones said: 'Splendid.'
He worked as a roofer and builder for Sheen from about 2018 and was effectively his 'right-hand man'.
Other members of the gang have already been sentenced for their roles in the theft.
'Foolish' middleman Frederick Doe, 37, of Windsor, Berkshire, received a suspended prison sentence after being found guilty of helping Sheen sell some of the gold.
Jewellery shop owner Bora Guccuk, 41, from west London, was acquitted of conspiracy to transfer criminal property.
Detective Superintendent Bruce Riddell, who led the investigation for Thames Valley Police, said: 'This was an extremely significant incident where a large amount of gold was stolen and then sold on for profit.
'It is my view that Sheen was the driving force behind the burglary, with his motive to make money by any means necessary.
'Jones also played a key part in the burglary, as he carried out two recces at Blenheim Palace in the days leading up to the burglary, and it is our belief that he also was there on the night.
'We are aware that in this case there are others who were involved who have not yet been brought to justice as we do not have sufficient evidence to secure further charges.
'I am aware that over the passage of time allegiances may change and it might be that someone out there has that one piece of evidence that may assist us in bring others to justice.
'If you do have information then you can contact us on 101 or you can provide information 100% anonymously through the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.'