Watches stolen from Mark Cavendish 'still missing'

A man jailed for his role in the armed robbery of Olympic cyclist Mark Cavendish remains tight-lipped about where two expensive watches could be, a court has heard.

Balaclava-wearing intruders with knives broke into the athlete's home in Ongar, Essex, while Mr Cavendish was asleep upstairs with his wife Peta and three-year-old child, and the cyclist was threatened at knifepoint.

Two Richard Mille watches, valued at the time of the trial at £400,000 and £300,000, were among the items taken in the raid on 27 November 2021.

Three men were jailed in 2023 for their roles in the robbery, and a proceeds of crime hearing is now under way at Chelmsford Crown Court.

Prosecutor Edward Renvoize asked financial investigator Andrew Fleming if it was correct that 28-year-old Jo Jobson, who was convicted of robbery, said he was paid £4,000 to take part.

Mr Fleming agreed.

"Is it also correct [Jobson] asserted in the document that £6,000 was to be paid on the completion of the job but he wasn't paid?" asked Mr Renvoize.

Mr Fleming replied: "That's correct."

The investigator agreed that none of the money could be seen in Jobson's bank account.

Asked if Jobson had "given any indication where the watches are", Mr Fleming said he had not.

Piers Mostyn, for Jobson, said the defendant was homeless when he handed himself in to police.

Jobson, who appeared by video-link from prison, did not give evidence at the hearing.

His co-defendants Romario Henry and Ali Sesay were absent.

Henry, 34, of Bell Green, Lewisham, south-east London, and 30-year-old Sesay, of Holding Street, Rainham, Kent were both found guilty of two counts of robbery following a trial in 2023.

Henry was sentenced to 15 years in prison while Sesay was jailed for 12 years.

Jobson, who was on the run at the time of the first trial, later handed himself in and was found guilty in a separate trial of two counts of robbery. He was jailed for 15 years.

Judge Alexander Mills adjourned the proceeds of crime hearing until 7 May, as it was unclear to the court why Henry was not in attendance.

"We've ended up in a very unfortunate position as a result of not receiving the information we need from the prison about whether it's appropriate to proceed in the absence of one of the defendants," he said.

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