A “prominent and dangerous” robber has been convicted of being part of a gang of four who ransacked the home of former England footballer Ashley Cole and threatened to cut his fingers.
Cole, a former Arsenal, Chelsea and Derby defender, told police he thought “I was going to die now” as he recalled how masked attackers held his infant daughter in January 2020, despite her hands being tied behind her back were
Nottingham Crown Court heard Kurtis Dilks was the only one in the gang responsible for the robbery after DNA was found on zip ties used to control Cole and his partner Sharon Canoo.
The 35-year-old courier claimed his DNA was found on zip ties and a knife was found in Fetchum, Surrey, as they were previously stolen items from his van.
Dillux was charged along with five others for her role in a series of “brutally executed” robberies and burglaries between October 2018 and January 2020.
As well as attacking Cole, Dilks was found guilty in May 2019 of conspiring to rob the wife of former Tottenham, Hull and Derby midfielder Tom Huddleston along with co-defendants Ashley Cumberpatch and Andrew Macdonald.
The trio were also accused in 2018 of being involved in the theft of the #3.5million tiara worn to Edward VII’s coronation from the Harley Gallery at the Welbeck estate in Worksop, Nottinghamshire.
Dilks showed no emotion when the jury announced their decision on Friday.
The 10-week trial included CCTV footage of Cole’s home showing the ex-footballer, wearing only his boxers, being carried up and down the stairs by robbers.
The court was told that watches, mobile phones, cash, a Gucci bag, headphones and a BMW smart key were stolen in the burglary.
Image: Former Arsenal, Chelsea and Derby defender Ashley Cole tells police he thought “I was going to die now” as he recalled how masked attackers held his baby daughter down in January 2020 despite holding her hands were tied behind their backs.
After the robbery, Cole told police, “I was on my knees, also waiting to be killed… I will never see my children again.”
The investigation into the robbery is ongoing and police are still looking for three other people involved.
The jury heard Cole was working as Chelsea’s youth coach at the time of the attack and was settling down to watch a film on Netflix when he heard the sound of “walls vibrating”.
Earlier in the trial, prosecutor Michael Brady QC launched the case against Dillux, saying Cole asked his partner to call the police, which he did after hiding in a cupboard.
She told jurors: “The next thing Ms Canu found out was when one of the robbers opened the closet door and took her phone while he was speaking to police.
“MS. Canoo followed the intruder and was led wordlessly by the man who had brought her phone into the bedroom where Mr. Cole was. She then found Mr. Cole with his hands on his knees behind his back. Tied up.”
Mr Brady said Ms Canoo was concerned after seeing a “huge” sledgehammer being used by robbers to pry open the door below to gain entry into the house.
The prosecutor told the court that after Cole insisted he didn’t own any jewelry or watches, one of the intruders “grabbed his neck and squeezed it.”
Mr Brady said Ms Cainu was then threatened with a knife.
“MS. Canu initially bravely refused to have her hands tied,” he said. “That bravery became somewhat incomprehensible when she was threatened with a knife. The man said, ‘Do you want that?’ – Means knife.”
Mr. Brady continued: “At this point, Mr. Cole’s hands were tied behind his back with similar zip ties. Mr. Cole was then picked up by his arms. He saw how desperate his family was.
“Mr Cole noticed that one of the attackers, a racy, more aggressive man who spoke with an Irish accent, kept saying ‘let’s cut off his fingers’.
“He was armed with pliers at the time.
“Despite the burly robber’s attempts to attack him with tongs, the robber whom Mr. Cole refers to as the ‘boss’ – the one who first approached him in his bedroom and grabbed his neck – continued to attack. stopped.”
The court heard the robbers fled after a “cop” scream.
Deluxe, of Whitegate Vale, Clifton, Nottingham, will be sentenced in the same court on July 15.
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