Glove ‘containing DNA that links Hatton Garden suspect said to be ‘Basil’ to raid destroyed’

Glove ‘containing DNA that links Hatton Garden suspect said to be gang member ‘Basil’ to second £1m jewellery raid has been destroyed’

  • Michael Seed, 58, accused of burgling the safety deposit box centre in 2015
  • Seed alleged to have deactivated the alarm at the Hatton Garden premises
  • Allowing accomplices to drill through vault wall and swipe gold, jewels and cash
  • Also allegedly involved in burglary at store Chatila in Mayfair in August 2010 

Surveillance footage issued by the Metropolitan Police of Michael Seed (pictured left) with Hatton Garden raider John Collins, which was shown at an earlier Woolwich Crown Court hearing

A glove said to contain DNA linking the Hatton Garden suspect known as ‘Basil’ to another high value gems raid has since been destroyed, a court heard today. 

Michael Seed, 58, is accused of burgling the safety deposit box centre with a team of ageing criminals over the Easter bank holiday weekend in 2015.

Seed is alleged to have deactivated the alarm at the Hatton Garden premises, allowing his accomplices to drill through the vault wall and swipe £14m worth of gold, jewels and cash.

He was also allegedly involved in a ‘strikingly similar’ £1m burglary at high-end store Chatila, in Mayfair during the August Bank Holiday weekend of 2010.

The prosecution say that DNA found in a glove in the alarm room at Chatila proves Seed is ‘Basil’.

But Philip Evans, QC, prosecuting, told jurors the glove has vanished and they are relying on frozen samples of DNA.

‘It is the glove which no longer exists in fact,’ he said.

‘It was discovered in a room described as being ‘alarm systems’.’

The glove had been handed to the manager of Chatila and passed to police officers who bagged it and sent it for testing at an DNA laboratory.

CCTV from inside the Hatton Garden safe deposit company showing unidentified suspect 'Basil' (flat cap) and Daniel Jones (fluorescent jacket)

CCTV from inside the Hatton Garden safe deposit company showing unidentified suspect ‘Basil’ (flat cap) and Daniel Jones (fluorescent jacket)

In the black and blue glove, the DNA of Daniel Jones, 61, along with other samples were found.

Following a similar test on yellow and green wiring found in the same alarm room DNA linking Jones to the job was also found but weaker in strength.

Mr Evans has told the jury that DNA found in the glove links Seed to the raid.

‘That glove had a mixture of DNA from at least four people inside it and the majority profile was a partial match for Jones.

‘The chances of it coming from someone other than Jones was one in a billion. You’ll remember Jones pleaded guilty to taking part in this burglary.

‘Amongst the DNA remaining it was discovered that Mr Seed’s DNA profile was almost completely represented within it as well.’

A sketch by court artist Elizabeth Cook of Michael Seed appearing at Westminster Magistrates Court in March

A sketch by court artist Elizabeth Cook of Michael Seed appearing at Westminster Magistrates Court in March

 Earlier opening the case the prosecutor said that the DNA samples have been preserved.

He added: ‘However, due to the passage of time, the wires and blue & black glove themselves, along with the other wires found attached to the alarm boxes, cannot now be located by the investigating officers and it appears that the glove was, after a while, destroyed in accordance with the standard policy at the time.’

Seed, from Islington, denies two counts of conspiracy to burgle and one count of conspiracy to conceal or disguise criminal property.

Earlier trials have seen the convictions of Jones, 61, Terry Perkins, John Kenneth Collins, 78, ‘Kenny’, Carl Wood, 58, and Brian Reader, 79, in connection with the Hatton Garden job.

Perkins, 69, died in prison ahead of trial for his alleged involvement in the Chatila raid while Jones admitted his role last year.

William Lincoln, 63, Hugh Doyle, 51, Terri Robinson, 37, and Bren Walters, 45, were also convicted for conspiring to conceal criminal property.

Charles Matthews, 55, was convicted of handling stolen goods from the Chatila burglary.

Seed’s trial continues.

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