Cowell: I live in constant fear after raid on mansion

SIMON Cowell said he lives in ‘constant fear’ for his son’s well-being after his Holland Park mansion was burgled.

Cowell’s son Eric, who was two at the time, was asleep upstairs when Darren February carried out a 17-minute burglary on February 4, 2015.

The prolific career criminal stole £950,000 worth of jewellery, mostly belonging Cowell’s girlfriend Lauren Silverman, of which £814,000 worth has not been recovered.

February, who is serving an eight-and-ahalf-year sentence for a hit and run in which he killed a man, was sentenced to a further eight years at Isleworth Crown Court yesterday.

A statement by Cowell read to the court yesterday told how he was traumatised by the incident, which has left Miss Silverman and his son’s nannies ‘much more anxious’ about Eric’s safety.

He said: ‘This incident has caused me great concerns about the security of my family. On reflection I am very scared of what could have happened to Eric if the burglar had gone into his room

‘The whole incident has been very traumatic and there is a constant fear that it may be repeated and that it may be worse next time.’

Judge Martin Edmunds QC said Cowell had been left ‘disturbed’ by February entering his room while he slept.

He said: ‘Mr Cowell says that the whole incident has been very traumatic... leading to the need to constantly reassess his family’s security.’