Two men have been found guilty over the theft of a £4.75 million (€5.6 million) gold toilet from a stately home in England.
The fully-functioning 18-carat gold toilet, which had been installed as an artwork at Blenheim Palace where Winston Churchill was born, was stolen in a raid in the early hours of September 14th, 2019.
It was created by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan and was a star attraction in an exhibition when it was stolen.
It is believed that the distinctive toilet has now been split up and disposed of, Oxford Crown Court was told previously.
Jurors at Oxford Crown Court on Tuesday found Michael Jones (39) guilty of burglary.
Jones, from Oxford, visited the palace twice before the theft, but had denied these were reconnaissance trips.
He previously 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.”
Jurors were previously told that James Sheen (40) from Wellingborough in England, had already pleaded guilty to burglary.
He also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to transfer criminal property and one count of transferring criminal property, at Oxford Crown Court in April 2024.
The court previously heard that Jones had worked as a roofer and builder for Sheen from about 2018 and was effectively Sheen’s “right-hand man”, being trusted to arrange payments for his friend’s other employees.
Frederick Doe (36), also known as Frederick Sines, of Winkfield, Windsor, England, was found guilty of conspiracy to transfer criminal property.
Doe helped one of the men who pleaded guilty to carrying out the burglary, James Sheen, to sell some of the gold in the following weeks, the court heard.
Bora Guccuk (41), from west London, was found not guilty of the same charge.
Jones was arrested on October 16th, 2019, and police analysed his phone. He had allegedly been searching for newspaper reports about the stolen toilet on September 20th, jurors were told previously.
Doe will be sentenced on May 19th. Jones and Sheen will be sentenced at a date yet to be set.
Shan Saunders, of the UK's Crown Prosecution Service, said: “This was an audacious raid which had been carefully planned and executed – but those responsible were not careful enough, leaving a trail of evidence in the form of forensics, CCTV footage and phone data.
“It has been a complex case to prosecute, involving a nationwide investigation with many lines of inquiry to identify those who were subsequently charged in relation to the theft.
“While none of the gold was ever recovered – no doubt having been broken up or melted down and sold on soon after it was stolen – we are confident this prosecution has played a part in disrupting a wider crime and money laundering network.”
