Beautiful Virgin Islands

Wednesday, Aug 27, 2025

Ashley Cole robbery: Accused blames DNA link on stolen items

Ashley Cole robbery: Accused blames DNA link on stolen items

A courier accused of robbing former England footballer Ashley Cole has claimed DNA linking him to the scene was found on items stolen from his van.

Kurtis Dilks is accused of being part of a gang that used a sledgehammer to smash into Mr Cole and Sharon Canu's home in Surrey on 21 January 2020.

Mr Dilks told a jury he was "most certainly not" involved in the robbery.

At Nottingham Crown Court, nine other men are also on trial over a series of "ruthlessly executed" burglaries.

The majority of the charges relate to the theft of the £3.5m Portland tiara from the Welbeck Estate in Nottinghamshire.

Kurtis Dilks is also accused of conspiring to rob the wife of former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Tom Huddlestone on 1 May 2019


Giving evidence on Monday, Mr Dilks said he told police he felt "sick" when he was informed his DNA was found on items from the scene and that he believed somebody was framing him.

Jurors were previously shown interview footage of Mr Cole telling police "I knew now, I am going to die", as he recalled masked raiders breaking into his home.

Mr Cole said his hands were tied while he was holding his young daughter and the gang threatened to cut his fingers off with pliers.

Mr Dilks' defence barrister, Simon Eckersley, asked the defendant if he went into Mr Cole's house or was if he was involved in the planning or commissioning of the robbery.

The 34-year-old answered "no" or "most definitely not" to the questions.

Mr Eckersley questioned him over his alleged involvement in the theft of the tiara, which he denied


Mr Eckersley said the court had heard his DNA was found on a knife recovered outside Mr Cole's home on a walkway, and also on a cable tie that was found on the kitchen table.

Mr Dilks said: "The only aspect I can believe is those items were stolen out of my van.

"It's something I don't do every day, to check everything is there. I would only check if I needed to use the item."

Mr Eckersley also questioned him over his alleged involvement in the theft of the tiara, which he denied.

Mr Dilks, of Clifton, Nottingham, faces three charges of conspiracy to commit burglary, four charges of converting criminal property, three charges of conspiracy to commit robbery and two counts of robbery.

He denies all charges.

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

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Spotify’s Strange Move: The Feature Nobody Asked For – Returns
Manhunt in Australia: Armed Anti-Government Suspect Kills Police Officers Sent to Arrest Him
China Launches World’s Most Powerful Neutrino Detector
How Beijing-Linked Networks Shape Elections in New York City
Ukrainian Refugee Iryna Zarutska Fled War To US, Stabbed To Death
Elon Musk Sues Apple and OpenAI Over Alleged App Store Monopoly
2 Australian Police Shot Dead In Encounter In Rural Victoria State
Vietnam Evacuates Hundreds of Thousands as Typhoon Kajiki Strikes; China’s Sanya Shuts Down
UK Government Delays Decision on China’s Proposed London Embassy Amid Concerns Over Redacted Plans
A 150-Year Tradition to Be Abolished? Uproar Over the Popular Central Park Attraction
A new faith called Robotheism claims artificial intelligence isn’t just smart but actually God itself
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner Purchases Third Property Amid Housing Tax Reforms Debate
HSBC Switzerland Ends Relationships with Over 1,000 Clients from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Qatar, and Egypt
Sharia Law Made Legally Binding in Austria Despite Warnings Over 'Incompatible' Values
Italian Facebook Group Sharing Intimate Images Without Consent Shut Down Amid Police Investigation
Dutch Foreign Minister Resigns Amid Deadlock Over Israel Sanctions
Trump and Allies Send Messages of Support to Ukraine on Independence Day Amid Ongoing Conflict
China Reels as Telegram Chat Group Shares Hidden-Camera Footage of Women and Children
Sam Nicoresti becomes first transgender comedian to win Edinburgh Comedy Award
Builders uncover historic human remains in Lancashire house renovation
Australia Wants to Tax Your Empty Bedrooms
MotoGP Cameraman Narrowly Avoids Pedro Acosta Crash at Hungarian Grand Prix
FBI Investigates John Bolton Over Classified Documents in High-Profile Raids
Report reveals OpenAI pitched national ChatGPT Plus subscription to UK ministers
Labour set to freeze income tax thresholds in long-term 'stealth' tax raid
Coca‑Cola explores sale of Costa coffee chain
Trial hears dog walker was chased and fatally stabbed by trio
Restaurateur resigns from government hospitality council over tax criticism
Spanish City funfair shut after serious ride injury
Suspected arson at Ilford restaurant leaves three in critical condition
Tottenham beat Manchester City to go top of Premier League
Bank holiday heatwave to hit 30°C before remnants of Hurricane Erin arrive
UK to deploy immigration advisers to West Africa to block fake visas
Nurse who raped woman continued working for a year despite police alert
Drought forces closures of England’s canal routes, canceling boat holidays
Sweet tooth scents: food-inspired perfumes surge as weight-loss drugs suppress appetites
Experts warn Britain dangerously reliant on imported food
Family of Notting Hill Carnival murder victim call event unmanageable
Bunkers, Billions and Apocalypse: The Secret Compounds of Zuckerberg and the Tech Giants
Ukraine Declares De Facto War on Hungary and Slovakia with Terror Drone Strikes on Their Gas Lifeline
Animated K-pop Musical ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Becomes Netflix’s Most-Watched Original Animated Film
New York Appeals Court Voids Nearly $500 Million Civil Fraud Penalty Against Trump While Upholding Fraud Liability
Elon Musk tweeted, “Europe is dying”
Far-Right Activist Convicted of Incitement Changes Gender and Demands: "Send Me to a Women’s Prison" | The Storm in Germany
Hungary Criticizes Ukraine: "Violating Our Sovereignty"
Will this be the first country to return to negative interest rates?
Child-free hotels spark controversy
North Korea is where this 95-year-old wants to die. South Korea won’t let him go. Is this our ally or a human rights enemy?
Hong Kong Launches Regulatory Regime and Trials for HKD-Backed Stablecoins
China rehearses September 3 Victory Day parade as imagery points to ‘loyal wingman’ FH-97 family presence
×