A MAN has been convicted of entering the flat of a woman, who was described as being like his family, and stealing a safe and a bottle filled with coins worth up to £500.
In the Royal Court yesterday, a jury unanimously found Andrew James Richomme (28) guilty of illegal entry and larceny.
The verdict followed two days of evidence and three hours of deliberation by jurors.
The woman woke to find her safe and the bottle of coins missing, the court heard on the first day of the trial.
Crown Advocate Christina Hall, prosecuting, described the crime as “terrible”, “frightening” and “distressing” for the woman.
“It is also clear that she felt very betrayed by the defendant,” she said, adding that Richomme had been treated like a family member.
During the trial, jurors were shown CCTV of a nearby street, in which two men were shown carrying the safe and bottle. They were asked to identify whether Richomme was one of the two men.
He had been seen wearing a medical boot on his foot at the time, which was visible in the CCTV.
Advocate Mark Boothman, defending, said that there was no evidence that Richomme had entered the flat.
In a police interview, Richomme first said that he was the man seen on CCTV but later changed his mind.
Giving evidence in court, he claimed that he had been “off [his] barnet” during the interview.
He faced two charges: a primary charge of illegal entry and larceny, and an alternative charge of receiving stolen property.
The Bailiff, Sir Timothy Le Cocq, was presiding and explained to the jury that if they were convinced Richomme entered the flat and had taken at least one of the objects, they should find him guilty of the first charge.
Richomme has been remanded in custody until Friday 8 November, when he is to be sentenced by the inferior number of the Royal Court.
