A MAN has told a jury that he did not steal a safe from a family friend.
Andrew James Richomme (28) is on trial in the Royal Court for one charge of breaking and entering and larceny, and one charge of receiving stolen goods.
A woman described as being “like family” to Mr Richomme woke up on 3 August last year and found her safe and a bottle containing coins worth up to £500 were gone from her flat.
CCTV footage played in court of a nearby street showed two men – including, the prosecution alleges, the defendant – walking down the street holding these items. The jury members will have to decide whether Mr Richomme is the man pictured.
He was arrested the day after the incident and, during a police interview, gave conflicting answers about whether he was the man in the footage.
Giving evidence in court yesterday, Mr Richomme claimed that he had been “off [his] barnet” and “smashed [very drunk]” during the interview with officers.
He also said that he had been partying for two nights at the time of the break-in.
Crown Advocate Christina Hall, prosecuting, asked him: “Your evidence is that you were smashed?”
He responded: “I think everybody heard my interview yesterday. It didn’t make any f*****g sense.”
He was also shown the footage in which it is alleged that he walked down the street with an accomplice.
Asked by Advocate Mark Boothman, defending, whether he was using crutches at the time of the break-in, Mr Richomme responded: “Well, no, because I was at a party.”
The Bailiff, Sir Timothy Le Cocq, is presiding. The trial is scheduled to last one more day.
