Mark Cavendish robbery suspect denies plotting raid while at party

Romario Henry, 31 (left) and Oludewa Okorosobo, 28, both deny two counts of robbery

A man accused of the armed robbery of Olympic cyclist Mark Cavendish at his Essex home has denied planning the raid a week before while at a party.

Jurors have heard how men broke into the house in Ongar on 27 November 2021 while the 37-year-old was in bed with his wife and three-year-old son.

Romario Henry, 31, told Chelmsford Crown Court it was "not true" he planned the robbery in Manchester.

Mr Henry and co-defendant Oludewa Okorosobo deny two counts of robbery.

Jurors were previously told one raider held a "Rambo-style" knife to Mr Cavendish's throat before suspects made off with two Richard Mille watches, valued at £400,000 and £300,000.

Mr Henry, of Bell Green, Lewisham, south-east London, is on trial with Mr Okorosobo, 28, of Flaxman Road, Camberwell, south London. Ali Sesay, 28, of Holding Street, Rainham, Kent, is not on trial having admitted two counts of robbery.

A fourth and fifth suspect, Jo Jobson and George Goddard, have been named as suspects and remained at large, the court heard.

On Monday, prosecutors said Mr Henry travelled to Manchester with Mr Okorosobo and Sesay before attending the party between 16 and 18 November 2021.

The prosecution said Mr Henry claimed he went to the city to see his uncle Benny and "didn't really want to be socialising with anyone".

Prosecutors said the defendants left the property at about 02:25 GMT on 27 November 2021

Mr Henry, giving evidence, also denied planning a robbery during a series of phone calls with Mr Jobson on 11 October 2021.

The defendant also told jurors he was struggling with alcohol and drug addition after his brother, Tashawn Watt, was murdered in Lewisham in June 2021.

Peta and Mark Cavendish were in bed with their young child when "male voices" were heard in the house

The court heard Mr Henry attended secondary school with Sesay, someone he described as a "good friend", and was in the same football club as Mr Okorosobo in his teens.

Mr Okorosobo previously told the court he was stabbed in the leg in September 2021 and told police he was "incapable" of carrying out a robbery.

The trial is expected to conclude this week.