City Corporate Lawyer Sentenced For Stalking Ex-Girlfriend

A City corporate lawyer continued stalking his ex-girlfriend by creating fictitious online dating profiles to match and track her movements, a court heard.

Matthew Howells, 31, an associate with Bishopsgate international American law firm Cooley, even championed himself via those fake profiles, describing himself as a “good guy” to his former partner, magistrates were told.

The Bristol Law School graduate, who is employed on the firm’s venture capital team, broke down in the dock at Wimbledon Magistrates Court as his lawyer outlined his life achievements.

Howells, who arrived at court in a BMW convertible, of Clapham Manor Street, Clapham pleaded guilty to stalking optometrist Sumita Mistry, 30, between March 31 and July 8, last year.

He received a twelve-month Community Order, which includes a ten-day rehabilitation requirement and must pay £500 compensation to his ex-girlfriend.

Howells was also made subject to a two-year restraining order, prohibiting him contacting Sumita or going to her address and must also pay £85 costs and a £114 victim surcharge.

After the split he bombarded his ex-girlfriend with unwanted phone calls and texts - even creating the bogus online profile ‘Alex’ on dating app Hinge - which the victim believed was a genuine suitor, said prosecutor Harriet James.

When she told ‘Alex’ via online chats she was sunbathing on Clapham Common Howells suddenly appeared twenty minutes later and continued his attempts to woo her back into his affections, added the prosecutor. 

While also posing as ‘Alex’ and deliberately matching online with Sumita he claimed to know her ex-boyfriend from playing football, describing him as a “good guy” and dismissing her suggestion her ex was a stalker, explained Ms James.

She also matched online with ‘Jake’, but suspected it was the defendant posing as another date and cut off contact, the court heard.

“I am constantly looking over my shoulder. I don’t know what will make him stop,” Ms Mistry told the court in her victim impact statement. “I don’t trust dating apps anymore and I don’t trust my friends.

“This has caused anxiety and has effected my work and I have had to cancel work,” she added. “I would like a restraining order for life.”

The pair had been in a relationship, but split due to Howells’ infidelity, said his ex.

Ms Mistry told police: “We broke up on March thirty-one because he cheated on me and I told him to leave me alone.

“I blocked him on Instagram and did not answer his calls and blocked all contact with him.”

She asked a flatmate to deal with handing over Howells’ belongings to him and when he did get through to her on the phone told him to: “F*** off,” the court was told.

“He emailed her and she did not reply and called her asking to meet up,” explained Ms James. “He came to her flat uninvited and got through the communal door and her flatmate gave him his belongings.

“The defendant continued to send more emails and make calls, only stopping for a period when he knew she was in Dubai.

“He asked to meet up when she returned and on April 12 when she was walking to work he started following her, a part of the evidence the defence does not accept.

“Mr Howells asked to meet her at a pub and near her work she found him sitting outside a public house and they talked for three hours.

“He told her he wanted to send her a song he had written and then on another occasion he was outside her home again.

“The complainant also bumped into Mr Howells at her local tube station when he told her: ‘I’m going in the same direction,’ then contacted her to go on a rock concert date with him.

“She stopped all contact, but came home one day to find gifts of flowers, a chocolate bunny and card by her door,” added Ms James. 

“She then bumped into him at her local supermarket and the next day spent all day together."

Feeling vulnerable staying in her flat due to Howells, Ms Mistry made other sleeping arrangements on one occasion and the defendant asked: “Where did you spend the night? Your curtains were not closed.”

She admitted weakness in a drunken moment resulted in her contacting Howells because she “missed him” and he stayed the night, but they split again afterwards.

“He had a breakdown and started crying,” explained the prosecutor, adding Howells would deliberately leave personal items, such as his watch, behind at the flat to give him an excuse to return.

One day in May she received six missed calls from him and on May 15 there were eight.

“Mr Howells began using a new number, which the complainant unwittingly answered and on May 17 he was sitting on a bench outside her work when she left, asking to go for a drink.”

On May 21 she matched with a ‘Jake’ on an online dating app. “Due to their text conversations she became suspicious,” said Ms James.

“The next day she matched with ‘Alex’ and later told him she was working in Clapham and was on the common. Twenty minutes later this defendant appeared while she was sunbathing.

“While adopting the ‘Alex’ dating profile Mr Howells claimed he knew who Ms Mistry had been dating and said: ‘He’s a good guy and not stalking you.’

“|n June she received another call from a new number and it was the defendant. She told him: ‘Stop stalking me or I will contact the police.’

“She called the Stalking Helpline and they advised her to contact the police.

“There is an incredible high degree of planning here in setting up dating profiles and matching with the complainant on dating sites,” concluded the prosecutor. “There was a significant level of stress.” 

Howells was arrested on June 17, last year and has not contacted his ex-girlfriend since. 

“As a solicitor he is at a high risk of being struck off or sacked from his American company,” said Kevin Smith, defending, producing a character reference from a Detective Inspector.

“He is the first generation of his family to go to university and feels he has let everybody down,” said Mr Smith of the University of the West of England Masters graduate.

“He assists his parents and brother and spends £5,000 per month on other peoples rent and he volunteers with St. Mungo’s and Citizens Advice.

“When he landed his current job there were one thousand other applicants for it as well.”

“He is at low-risk of offending or causing serious harm according to the Probation Service.”

"I'm Not A Rapist" Said Accused PC When Arrested

A Metropolitan Police Constable, accused of raping a WPC after an all-night pub leaving party for a Sergeant, told his arresting officers: “I didn’t do it. I’m not a rapist,” a court heard.

PC Ireland Teddington Murdock, 26, has pleaded not guilty to one count of raping the female officer in the bedroom of her shared Clapham flat in the early hours of September 25, 2021.

At the time PC Murdock - known as ‘Ted’ - of Hillside, Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire was attached to the Central North Command Unit, having joined the Met in January, 2019.

He told the Inner London Crown Court jury he started drinking at the Abbey Tavern pub, Kentish Town at 4pm and continued until closing-time when he left with the WPC.

Describing himself as “six out of ten” drunk at the end of the night PC Murdock told the trial the woman joined the party during the evening. “She was bought a drink and bought herself drinks.

“She said she had some catching up to do and at that point I was tipsy,” he explained.

Afterwards, the pair waited for an Uber at a nearby bus stop outside the pub. “She was sitting on my lap. We were kissing and I was touching her over her clothes.”

PC Murdock admitted touching the woman between her legs at the bus stop, while another officer with them was urinating out of sight around the corner.

“She was reciprocating in an enjoyable way and I attempted to put my hand under her clothing, under her jeans, but I stopped because she did not want our colleague to see.”

The female officer told the jury she consented to sexual activity, but not to all of PC Murdock’s behaviour in her bedroom that night.

“I was happy and she seemed to be the same,” he told the court. “We kissed at the end of the bed and started undressing each other.”

PC Murdock said consensual sex followed, denying he raped the woman.

He conceded at one point she “jolted forward” and said: “Ted, woah,” but the sexual activity continued.

PC Murdock stayed the night, but admitted there was a strained atmosphere the following morning.

“I turned towards her to give her a hug and she pushed me away. She said that she was not happy with what happened last night.

“I was confused and I stayed silent for about ten minutes. It is something I do, I clam up.

“I said: ‘I won’t stay here if there’s an atmosphere. Do you want me to leave?’ and then I left.

The pair exchanged tense WhatsApp messages over the following days. “She was implying she was not happy and I believed on the night that she was.

“She was clearly upset and I wanted to fix it,” added PC Murdock, who sent one message to the WPC which read: “You’re wording things like I’m a rapist and that’s p***ing me off.”

Earlier the officer told the jury he changed his middle name by deed poll to ‘Teddington’ because that is the area of south-west London where his late mother was laid to rest.

He said he had a challenging childhood involving an alcoholic mother, foster care and being raised by his older sister.

That was his motivation for the name change in May, 2019, PC Murdock explained. “It was an attempt to cut ties with that part of my family.”

The female officer did not request to be screened from the defendant and told the jury from the witness box: “I said something like: ‘Woah’ or ‘Stop’ I can’t remember.”

She did not report PC Murdock immediately and several month passed before she complained. “I did not feel safe to report it, we were always together,” she told the investigating officers in a  video recorded police interview.

“In a ten day work period we would be together eight or nine days.”

The officer said she had to change her bedsheets after the rape. “I got rid of them right after. There was just a lot of little bloody spots.”

She did not seek any medical treatment, adding: “I did not want to go to a GP and have questions raised. I was embarrassed.

“I was fairly numb to it. There was no proper thought after the incident.”

However, she insisted PC Murdock’s intentions in the bedroom were clear that night. “He was definitely positioning himself and then he tried again.”

She went to work the next day, but said it was a challenging shift. “It was difficult. It hurt to sit down and I was in pain and it was dawning on me what happened.

“He said he did not remember anything because he was so drunk.

“He was drunk that night. His speech was all slurred. He was not falling over or anything, but it was obvious he had quite a lot to drink.

“On the day it happened I rang one of my flatmates to say he did something last night I was not happy with.”

When they woke up that morning PC Murdock admits he went in for a cuddle, but was shunned by the woman. “I told him that he really hurt me last night.”

The trial heard the female officer informally reported PC Murdock for rape to her professional colleagues during a pub quiz night on January 9, 2022 - over three months later.

Fellow officers described her as crying as she revealed the details, saying she was hesitant to say anything earlier because PC Murdock knows where she lives and works and her parents’ address.

The PC Murdock was investigated by the Serious Sexual Offences Department - commonly  known as Sapphire - based at Brixton Police Station.

The jury heard the WhatsApp messages exchanged between PC Murdock and the complainant the day after in which she tells him: “I’m in a stupid amount of pain.”

PC Murdock replied: “You’re treating me like a sex offender,” and: “Just say Ted is a rapist.”

The trial continues…………..

Metropolitan Police Officer Denies Raping WPC After Sergeant's Pub Leaving Do

A female Metropolitan police officer, who claims she was raped by a fellow serving cop, has told a jury: “I am not lying and I have not got it wrong.”

PC Ireland Teddington Murdock, 26, denies raping the woman at her Clapham flat after an eight-hour leaving drinks party for a Sergeant at a north London pub.

At the time PC Murdock - known as ‘Ted’ - was attached to the Central North Command Unit, having joined the Met in January, 2019.

Inner London Crown Court heard the pair “kissed passionately” at a bus stop outside the Abbey Tavern while waiting for a 1.00am Uber, with the WPC sitting on PC Murdock’s lap.

They returned to her shared flat in the early hours of September 25, 2021, where she says she consented to sexual activity, but not to all of PC Murdock’s behaviour and he raped her and slept over until the following morning.

Agreeing she bought PC Murdock shots of alcohol at the Kentish Town pub the woman conceded telling him regarding her alcohol intake: “I have a lot of catching up to do.”

She told the trial she had approximately four drinks that night and at the bus stop PC Murdock tried to put his hand inside her jeans.

The female officer insisted things went too far in her bedroom and she did not consent to PC Murdock’s actions.

“I said something like: ‘Woah’ or ‘Stop’ I can’t remember,” she told the court from the witness box, giving evidence without a screen.

She did not report PC Murdock immediately and several month passed before she complained. “I did not feel safe to report it, we were always together,” she told the jury via a video recorded police interview.

“In a ten day work period we would be together eight or nine days.”

The officer said she had to change her bedsheets after the rape. “I got rid of them right after. There was just a lot of little bloody spots.”

She did not seek any medical treatment, adding: “I did not want to go to a GP and have questions raised. I was embarrassed.

“I was fairly numb to it. There was no proper thought after the incident.”

However, she insisted PC Murdock’s intentions in the bedroom were clear that night. “He was definitely positioning himself and then he tried again.”

She went to work the next day, but said it was a challenging shift. “It was difficult. It hurt to sit down and I was in pain and it was dawning on me what happened.

“He said he did not remember anything because he was so drunk.

“He was drunk that night. His speech was all slurred. He was not falling over or anything, but it was obvious he had quite a lot to drink.

“On the day it happened I rang one of my flatmates to say he did something last night I was not happy with.”

When they woke up that morning PC Murdock admits he went in for a cuddle, but was shunned by the woman. “I told him that he really hurt me last night.”

PC Murdock said: “I’m not going to stay here if there’s an atmosphere,” and they agreed he should leave.

The trial heard the female officer informally reported PC Murdock for rape to her professional colleagues during a pub quiz night on January 9, 2022 - over three months after that night.

Fellow officers described her as crying as she revealed the details, saying she was hesitant to say anything earlier because PC Murdock knows where she lives and works and her parents’ address.

The PC Murdock was investigated by the Serious Sexual Offences Department - commonly  known as Sapphire - based at Brixton Police Station.

The jury heard the WhatsApp messages exchanged between PC Murdock and the complainant the day after in which she tells him: “I’m in a stupid amount of pain.”

PC Murdock replied: “You’re treating me like a sex offender,” and: “Just say Ted is a rapist.”

PC Murdock, of Hillside, Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire has pleaded not guilty to one count of rape.

The trial continues…………..

Award-Winning Hair Stylist Molested Two 17 Year-Old Trainees

Suspended Sentence: Luckhurst

An award-winning hair stylist felt he had “a licence” to molest two 17 year-old trainees he took into a rear private area of his salons - groping their breasts and bums, a court heard yesterday.

Married father-of-two Alan Luckhurst, 36, was awarded the ‘Retailer of the Year’ prize while managing a Headmasters salon where he sexually assaulted the first victim.

Kingston-upon-Thames Crown Court heard he was arrested and on bail for those offences when he molested the second victim at another salon Luckhurst opened himself.

The stylist, of Priors Barn House, Beaumont Drive, Worcester Park, Sutton, proudly published on social media a photo of himself and TOWIE star Mark Wright, who was guest of honour at one of those award ceremonies.

“Both were seventeen years-old and you were the manager and later the owner of two salons and you accepted apprentices from colleges to work in your salons and you sexually assaulted both of them,” said Recorder William Featherby KC.

“You went considerably further than ‘making passes’ when you took them into a private room at the rear of each premises under the pretence of discussing their progress.”

Luckhurst fought the charges, making both victims give evidence, but was convicted of six counts of sexually assaulting the first victim, plus one charge of sexual activity on various dates in 2017 at Headmasters Hair Salon, Twickenham

Regarding the second victim he was found guilty of two counts of sexual assault and one count of sexual activity on various dates in 2021 at The Avenue salon, Sutton.

He was sentenced to six months imprisonment, suspended for eighteen months and must sign the sex offenders register for seven years.

Luckhurst must also comply with an 18-month Community Order; attend 35 days of a sex offenders programme; comply with up to thirty days of a rehabilitation activity requirement and obey a Sexual Harm Prevention Order, prohibiting him employing staff under 18 years-old.

Luckhurst repeatedly touched the breasts of the first victim; placed his hand between her legs and pressed his groin against her bum. 

He also groped the breasts of the second victim and once made her touch him intimately between the legs.

All the offences involved groping over the girls’ clothing apart from one incident when he forced his hand under the second victim’s bra.

With TOWIE Star Mark Wright

“You plainly felt an attraction two these young women and felt you had some sort of licence to touch them,” Recorder Featherby told Luckhurst. “You made them both feel vulnerable and frightened.

“They continue to feel violated and vulnerable and these experiences put their careers in other directions.”

Luckhurst’s lawyer Kimberley Aiken told the court: “These convictions have been a massive blow to this man, who has built his career up. He has felt suicidal and his business has been limping on.

“The last six years have been an apocalypse for both him and his wife and they twice had to cancel their wedding when trials were listed and then cancelled.”

Luckhurst spent two years on police bail before the Crown Prosecution Service decided to charge him and his trial was further delayed by Covid and barristers strikes.

“He has already suffered a great deal,” added Ms Aiken. “It is not normal to have to wait his long.

“He understands he is here today to be punished and feels he has already been punished a great deal.

“Apart from these dreadful convictions he has had a positive stable life and adores his two children.

“He has had a pretty rotten wake-up call. He has had the shock of his life and now accepts he was in the wrong, late as it is.

“I ask the court to pass a sentence that allows Mr. Luckhurst to continue building his life, a charitable life rather than living a life in shame on the sex offenders register.

“It was another awful day in his life when the police visited his home.”

Recorder Featherby told Luckhurst: “Other than these offences you are a responsible person who has been involved in charitable works and fundraising.

“The financial impact on you and your family is considerable, running into the tens of thousands of pounds.

“These are multiple and repeated offences, but the Probation Service say you are at ‘low risk’ of re-offending.”

Midnight Stabbing At Mortlake Station

Transport cops have issued this CCTV image of two unknown males after a man was attacked with a knife - suffering serious injuries - at a south-west London railway station.

British Transport Police (BTP) are appealing for the assistance of the public in identifying the two males.

The incident happened near the entrance to Platform Two at around 12.20am on Sunday, February 19 at Mortlake station.

The victim suffered injuries to his chest and potentially life changing injuries to his arm.

Investigators would like to speak to the two men in the images who may have information that can help their investigation.

Anyone who knows them is asked to contact British Transport Police by texting 61016 or by calling 0800 40 50 40.

In both cases, quote reference number 2300019141.

Alternatively, call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

England Fan Blames Two Mystery Men For F1 Star's £144K Designer Watch Robbery

Lando Norris at Euro 2020 Final

An England football fan, accused of robbing Formula One racing driver Lando Norris of his expensive designer watch at the Euro 2020 final, told his trial two mystery Londoners he met outside the stadium were responsible.

Trainee Bricklayer Liam Williams, 25, of Oak Street, Bootle, Merseyside denies snatching the McLaren star’s £144,000 Richard Mille timepiece from his wrist after the final, which England lost on penalties following a 1-1 draw with Italy.

His DNA was found on the racing driver’s wrist, but he told the Harrow Crown Court jury: “My DNA was there because I was with the people that day and it is secondary transfer.”

After failing to gain access to the final Williams says he watched the match on his mobile phone outside a Wembley pub with a group of locals.

“My DNA has been passed on by other people,” he told the trial. “It was lively, people were drinking and when we scored the penalties people were jumping up and grabbing each other, grabbing hands and celebrating.”

Norris, 23, was robbed of his unique RM 67-02 watch - one of only five in the world - while standing next to his bright orange £165,000 McLaren GT in the VIP car park after the July 11, 2021 final.

“After the match the two others that had left came back within an hour with the watch and were showing it,” Williams told the trial. “I didn’t know it had been robbed.

“They were in a circle looking at it and I just popped my head over and looked at it. I just thought they had found the watch or something.

“Within five minutes the two lads with the watch left us. They were both white, with London accents and short hair.”

He explained his movements earlier that day. “My intention was to go down and buy a ticket to watch the match in the stadium. I did not have a ticket and intended to purchase one outside the ground.”

Lando Norris with Richard Mille watch

He and three pals drove from Liverpool to north-west London in a black Mercedes, but all failed to buy a ticket for the final, he explained. 

When pressed by prosecutor Tyrone Silcott he could not give phone numbers or addresses for the trio, who he named as James Kelly; John Thompson and Dylan Jones.

“The price was too expensive so that was it,” he said. “We couldn’t buy any tickets so we tried to bunk into the ground and unfortunately I was the only one who did not get in.

“They got in behind someone else on someone else’s ticket.”

Williams said he bumped into a Londoner he knew from a Croatia music festival and ended up watching the final on his own mobile phone outside a Wembley pub.

“He was with two friends and he was selling cocaine and I bought some cocaine off him. I just do it at social events, it is not a weekly thing, not a regular thing.”

Williams said two more Londoners joined the group and all six of them watched the match on his phone.

The prosecution case is that Williams’ DNA was found on Norris’s scratched left wrist after the star driver was put into a headlock by a mystery male and the watch ripped off by an accomplice, which they say is the defendant.

Williams has pleaded not guilty to one count of robbing Norris outside the stadium between July 10 and 13, 2021.

Norris had driven with a friend called Max from the Goodwood Festival of Speed to attend the final and parked in the Yellow car park.

In his police statement he explained: “After attending Wembley Stadium I was speaking to members of the public and noticed Suspect One and Suspect Two walk around my car, while I was talking to other people.

“I noticed them looking at my car and myself and the first one was keeping his head down and had his right hand near his pocket.

“Suspect One slowly approached me and asked me: ‘Is this your car?’ I don’t recall exactly what happened, but Suspect One then went behind me and put his right arm around my neck and his left arm under my back.

“Suspect One pulled me into him and pulled me back on my neck, meaning I was facing the sky and I couldn’t see him at this point.

“Suspect One told Suspect Two to grab my watch. He shouted multiple times: ‘Grab the watch.’ 

“Suspect One was holding me the whole time and Suspect Two was trying to grab the watch. 

“He struggled for a while and then used force to pull the watch off, leaving scratches on my arm.”

Police officer David Barrett investigated and told the jury a 999 call reporting the robbery was made by witness Jason Parish at six minutes after midnight, but he did not wish to make a statement.

“He said: ‘I can’t really help you.’ He was not interested in getting involved and nobody else came forward.

“There was one other person sitting in a car, but they could not help and several people sitting in a coach said they did not really see anything, but were there, which was not very helpful,” said the officer.

Even Norris’ friend Max did not give additional assistance to the police investigation. “I did not get any statement at all from anybody. Everyone said: ‘I can’t help, I don’t want to get involved.’

“When I contacted them they did not want to give a statement. Nobody wanted to give me any statement at all and Max would not provide a statement.”

When officers visited the home of Williams’ parents in Bootle he was not there and they were given permission to search the address without a warrant.

Williams gave himself up to police on July 18, 2021 and when Norris was helicoptered in for an identity parade he failed to pick out the defendant.

Williams told the jury he ended the night at a party, where the two Londoners were also present. “I was told if I named anyone there would be consequences, I was threatened.

“They had the watch out at the party, but I did not really want to get involved. I realised the watch was stolen.”

Williams said he later abandoned his phone number because he was in danger. “I started receiving threats. My suspicion was these lads thought I would give them up for the reward.”

However, prosecutor Mr Silcott suggested there was a more sinister reason for why he stopped using the phone number. “You knew you committed this robbery and were worried about being traced.”

Williams replied: “I don’t agree with that.”

The prosecutor also accused Williams of shaving off his heard and shaving his head when he knew police were looking for him to foil identification, but the defendant claimed he had done this weeks before the match.

“You have waited until late in the day to give an account that fits the evidence and have used your legal shield to avoid giving an account until the very last moment so the facts you give cannot be checked,” suggested Mr Silcott.

“That’s not true,” replied Williams, who is of good character, telling the court he took the advice of a solicitor to not answer police questions.

Referring to grainy CCTV footage of the two robbery suspects the prosecutor said: “That’s you waking with your spoils isn’t it? It was you who robbed Lando Norris that evening.

“One of you pulled his neck back and the other pulled the watch off his wrist.”

“You are just making that assumption,” replied Williams. “I am not telling a story. I am giving my account.”

Trial continues………….  

Formula One Star Lando Norris Robbed Of £144K Designer Watch At Euro 2020 Final

F1 Star: Lando Norris Wearing Watch

Formula One racing driver Lando Norris was violently robbed of his £144,000 Richard Mille designer watch when returning to his sports car after the Euro 2020 final at Wembley Stadium, a court heard.

The 23 year-old McLaren star was put in a headlock by one unknown male and the unique RM 67-02 watch - specifically designed for the racer - was violently ripped from his wrist by a second man.

Harrow Crown Court heard Liam Williams, 25, of Oak Street, Bootle, Merseyside was the man who snatched the watch, leaving his DNA on the racing driver’s wrist.

He has pleaded not guilty to one count of robbing Norris outside the stadium on July 11, 2021, following England’s defeat to Italy on penalties after a 1-1 draw.

Norris had driven his bright orange £165,000 McLaren GT sports car from the Goodwood Festival of Speed to attend the final and parked in the Yellow car park.

Prosecutor Tyrone Silcott told the jury: “Some of you interested in football may recall that day, the day England lost the Euro final at Wembley.

“Mr Norris attended that game and when returning to his car after the match he was robbed of his watch by two men. The Crown’s case is that this defendant is one of those two men.

Lando Norris attended the Euro 2020 Final

“We all agree, both the Crown and defence that Mr Norris was robbed. We don’t have to decide if there was a robbery and there is no dispute  two men stole his watch.

“The case boils down to one question. Are you sure the defendant was one of those two robbers? If you are you will convict him.”

In his statement of July 12 Norris told police he parked his McLaren in the VIP area, after travelling to the final with a friend called Max.

He returned to the sports car at around midnight and posed for a photo with one fan and chatted to members of the public, milling around his distinctive vehicle.

“After attending Wembley Stadium I was speaking to members of the public and noticed Suspect One and Suspect Two walk around my car, while I was talking to other people.

“I noticed them looking at my car and myself and the first one was keeping his head down and had his right hand near his pocket.

Suspect One slowly approached me and asked me: ‘Is this your car?’ I don’t recall exactly what happened, but Suspect One then went behind me and put his right arm around my neck and his left arm under my back.

“Suspect One pulled me into him and pulled me back on my neck, meaning I was facing the sky and I couldn’t see him at this point.

“Suspect One told Suspect Two to grab my watch. He shouted multiple times: ‘Grab the watch.’ 

“Suspect One was holding me the whole time and Suspect Two was trying to grab the watch. 

“He struggled for a while and then used force to pull the watch off, leaving scratches on my arm.

“When Suspect One had his arm around my neck  Suspect Two managed to get the watch off my left wrist and they ran through the pedestrian walkway to Rutherford Way.

“From there I do not know where they went. My view was blocked.”

Recalling the details the racing driver added: “Suspect One was pretty close as he put his arm around my neck.

“Suspect Two was ten feet way and I saw Suspect One for around ten seconds and the interaction was around thirty seconds, not very long.”

The racer gave a second interview on February 12, last year, confirming he did not know Williams and due to covid had no contact with strangers in the stadium.

Giving more detail Mr Silcott added: “He parked a nice bright orange McLaren motorsport vehicle and as he went back to his car he was speaking to members of the public.

“He noticed two men walk around his car and one approached, asking: ‘Is this your car?’

“He went behind Mr Norris and grabbed him. He put his right arm around his neck and his left arm behind his back and pulled Mr Norris backwards, causing him to look at the sky.

“The one pulling him back called the accomplice to grab the watch and the other man pulled the watch from his wrist and as he did, scratched his left wrist.

“Mr Norris was able to describe one as a white male of average build, short hair aged mid twenties to thirties that he thought had a London accent.

“This defendant does not have a London accent,” added Mr Silcott. “He also described the first man as wearing a black hooded jacket and black trousers.

“The second male was wearing grey clothing and he had a hood up and Mr Norris did not see this male, he was standing back and does not believe he would recognise this male again.”

Poor CCTV recorded the incident. “You can see someone going behind the figure and pull them back, but there is no way you can make an identification from the CCTV.”

The watch was described as a prototype limited edition, with a made-to-measure blue strap, designed to fit the racing driver and has never been available to the retail public.

Two swabs were taken from Mr Norris’s left wrist, which revealed it was 37 million times more likely Williams’ DNA was present than an unknown person.

Analysis of his mobile phone also revealed a journey from Liverpool to the Wembley Stadium area on July 11, where he remained until the early hours of July 12 before returning home on July 13.

“There is no sensible explanation for his DNA to be on that scratched wrist.”

At an identity line up the racing driver was unable to pick out Williams and the jury were shown photos of the stolen watch.

Trial continues……….