Magda Palos, the wife of property mogul Brett Palos, has told a court how a burglar broke into their home and told her to hand over her jewellery
A burglar menaced the half-naked wife of Sir Philip Green’s stepson as he grabbed jewellery worth £2million from their mansion in north London, a court heard.
Robert Lewis, 41, broke into the £18million home in St John’s Wood and threatened Magda Palos, 37, as she was getting out of the shower, prosecutors said.
Mrs Palos – wife of Sir Philip’s stepson, Brett Palos – was subjected to a terrifying ten minute ordeal in the presence of her six-year-old daughter, Harrow Crown Court heard.
Lewis brandished a pair of 12-inch wire cutters to make her hand over the watches and other valuables during the raid on 10 December 2016.
The court heard the burglar entered the house with a pair of wire cutters and told Mrs Palos’ daughter, who was just wearing a pair of pyjama bottoms, to take her to her mother’s room.
Lewis was led into Mrs Palos’ bathroom by the daughter and was holding the wire cutters above her head as he entered, the court heard.
Mrs Palos told the court: ‘[My daughter] was at the entrance of the bathroom, I had a towel on but no other clothing.’
Mr Palos is son of Sir Philip Green’s wife Tina (pictured together) from her first marriage
She added: ‘Someone else, about a metre apart, was directly behind my daughter. I grabbed hold of her and tried to put her into my bathroom, away from him.’
She then walked out of the bathroom, leaving her daughter there and began to hand valuables out of cupboards and drawers to Lewis.
The court heard Lewis told her: ‘Stop shaking, I am not going to hurt you, as long as you give me everything.’
He asked her to show him her hands, but she was not wearing any rings.
Before he left, Lewis instructed her not to raise the alarm for ten minutes and left the mobile downstairs, jurors were told.
Mrs Palos called her father and he in turn called the police.
Mrs Palos gave evidence at Lewis’s ongoing trial at Harrow Crown Court today
Prosecutor Roger Smart said: ‘The burglar was holding a large pair of wire cutters in one hand in front of his chest.
‘The prosecution say he had brought the item with him and at the time of doing so he intended to use it as a weapon.’
Mr Palos is the son of Lady Christina Green and her first husband, South African businessman Robert Palos.
Lewis, of no fixed address, denies aggravated burglary. The trial continues tomorrow.
Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.