Graff jewellery robbery trial jury retires
The jury in the trial of seven men accused of taking part in a £40m jewellery heist in central London has retired to consider its verdict.
The men deny conspiring to rob the Graff store in Mayfair on 6 August 2009.
Robbers using professional make-up to disguise themselves forced employees to hand over jewellery which has not been recovered, the jury heard.
The court was told a staff member was held hostage and bullets were fired.
The seven defendants, who all deny conspiracy to rob, are:
- Aman Kassaye, 24, of no fixed address; Craig Calderwood, 27, of no fixed address
- Solomun Beyene, 25, of Lilestone Street, Marylebone, north-west London
- Clinton Jamal Mogg, 42, of Westby Road, Bournemouth, Dorset
- Courtney Lawrence, 31, of Ladbroke Grove, west London
- David Joseph, 23, of Flaxman Road, Loughborough Junction, south-east London
- Thomas Thomas, 45, of Penrhyn Road, Kingston upon Thames, south-west London
Another two defendants, Benjamine McFarlane, 22, of Paveley Street, Marylebone, north-west London; and Gregory Jones, 30, of Elgin Avenue, Maida Vale, west London, were cleared in May after judge Jeffrey Pegden QC ruled they had no case to answer.