Man who filmed £3.5m Portland Tiara denies planning heist

The Portland Tiara was made for Winifred, Duchess of Portland, to wear at King Edward VII's coronation

A man accused of planning a £3.5m diamond heist has denied he was scouting the scene while filming with a GoPro during a family day out.

The Portland Tiara was stolen from its glass case at the Welbeck Estate in Nottinghamshire in November 2018.

Ashley Cumberpatch said he filmed the estate's gallery to test out his new camera when he visited at an earlier date.

He told Nottingham Crown Court he had no involvement in the burglary.

Giving evidence in his defence, Mr Cumberpatch, said he was at home when the crime took place on 20 November.

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The 36-year-old, formerly of Carlton, Nottinghamshire, told the jury he visited Welbeck because he "liked exploring new places" and filmed the gallery as he wanted to try out the GoPro.

Police said they found the camera when they searched his house after he was arrested.

Previously, the court heard how Mr Cumberpatch's ex-partner said on the recording: "I'm going to look round at the sheep in a minute, so it looks like I'm filming everything."

Power tools were used to steal the Portland Tiara from an armoured glass case

Defence barrister Isabelle Gillard asked him why he filmed the lock of the tiara case in the gallery, as well artwork and other valuable pieces.

He responded: "It's hard to see what you're filming on a GoPro. I wasn't filming the tiara - I just wanted to watch everything in there." He said he kept the video because he "wanted to watch it back".

During the search of Mr Cumberpatch's home, police also found a copy of a newspaper featuring a story about the theft of the tiara on the front page.

Asked by the defence how he found out about the theft, he responded: "I read about it in the newspaper. I wouldn't say I was very interested in it but [Welbeck Estate] is somewhere I'd visited before and the story was on the front page."

As well as the tiara, which has "significant historical importance", a diamond-encrusted brooch was also taken; they had a combined value of about £3.75m.

The tiara and brooch have never been recovered and are thought to have been broken up for the jewels.

The court also heard that Mr Cumberpatch had phone calls with the other defendants, including Christopher Yorke, Adrian Eddishaw and Kurtis Dilks, before and after the burglary.

He told the jury that they were "people I ring every day" and the correspondences "could have been about anything".

Mr Cumberpatch is accused of three counts of conspiracy to commit burglary, five counts of converting criminal property, and three counts of conspiracy to commit robbery.

Another defendant in the trial is charged with robbing Ashley Cole and his partner

The court also heard that another defendant, Darren Stokes, 33, from Staunton Drive in Nottingham, allegedly acted as a "go-between" to help others steal a silver Audi to be used in the estate burglary.

The car was taken from a park and ride in Nottingham. On the afternoon of the theft, the trial heard Mr Stokes made short phone calls to Matthew Johnson and another accomplice, who has pleaded guilty to the theft of the vehicle as part of a separate case.

Mr Stokes denied knowing about the crime until he was arrested and told jurors that he would regularly speak to both men to casually chat about "lad stuff".

After the burglary, an Audi was founded torched and abandoned miles from the scene.

The trial has heard evidence relating to "various serious and high-profile" crimes with numerous defendants. One man - Kurtis Dilks - is accused of robbing former England footballer Ashley Cole and his partner Sharon Canu at their home in Surrey.

Three men have also been charged over a raid at Hull City footballer Tom Huddlestone's home, in which an FA Cup runners-up medal, a £121,000 engagement ring and watches were stolen on 1 May 2019.

The trial continues.

The defendants and charges

• Matthew Johnson, 35, of Kingsthorpe Close in Nottingham. He is accused of one count of conspiracy to commit burglary and one count of converting criminal property

• Darren Stokes, 32, of Staunton Drive in Nottingham. He is accused of one count of converting criminal property

• Ashley Cumberpatch, 36, previously of First Avenue in Carlton, Nottinghamshire. He is accused of three counts of conspiracy to commit burglary, five counts of converting criminal property, and three counts of conspiracy to commit robbery

• Adrian Eddishaw, 34, of Northall Avenue in Bulwell, Nottingham. He is accused of one count of conspiracy to commit burglary and one count of converting criminal property

• Andrew MacDonald, 42, of no fixed address. He is accused of three counts of conspiracy to commit burglary, five counts of converting criminal property, and three counts of conspiracy to commit robbery

• Kurtis Dilks, 34, of Whitegate Vale in Clifton, Nottingham. He is accused of three counts of conspiracy to commit burglary, four counts of converting criminal property, three counts of conspiracy to commit robbery, and two counts of robbery

• Christopher Yorke, 50, of Rose Ash Lane in Nottingham. He is accused of one count of converting criminal property

• Gordon Thornhill, 49, of Mosswood Crescent in Nottingham. He is accused of one count of converting criminal property

• Tevfik Guccuk, 41, of Houndsden Road, Southgate, London. He is accused of five counts of converting criminal property

• Sercan Evsin, 27, of Meadow Close in Barnet. He is accused of four counts of converting criminal property