Cowell thief killed biker days af ter gems raid
A PROLIFIC burglar who snatched £1million worth of gems from Simon Cowell’s mansion killed a father-ofone just days later in a car crash.
The X Factor judge was asleep upstairs with girlfriend Lauren Silverman and their two-yearold son Eric when Darren February ransacked his home in Holland Park, West London.
He grabbed diamond jewellery and passports from an open safe after breaking in through a patio door.
Cowell said the safe had been left open to allow Miss Silverman to ‘quietly get her jewellery’ ahead of a flight the next morning.
Following February’s conviction yesterday, it can be revealed that the 34-year-old killed a man ten days later when he smashed into a motorcyclist while speeding on the wrong side of the road.
Moments after the head-on collision close to Cowell’s £10million home, February was seen trying to remove evidence linking him to the crash as his victim Kenneth Baldwin, 52, was dying in the road.
The thug, who was driving his exgirlfriend’s car at 60mph in a 30mph zone, then jogged away, leaving the father to die on December 14, 2015.
February was arrested the following day after he was caught stealing from a telephone kiosk.
He admitted causing death by dangerous driving and was jailed for eight and half years at Southwark Crown Court in May last year. At the hearing Mr Baldwin’s partner said their devastated 11-year-old daughter still writes to her dad.
It emerged during sentencing that February has spent much of his life in prison after committing 58 offences for burglary, assault and theft dating back to the age of 12.
They include 37 burglaries in Kensington and Holland Park.
He was jailed for four years in 2013 for assault, affray, criminal damage and a number of thefts.
In the case involving Cowell, February was convicted of burglary at Isleworth Crown Court.
February broke into Cowell’s home while his private guard was in the toilet on December 4, 2015.
He took watches worth £200,000, rings worth £500,000, earrings valued at £220,000 and bracelets worth £50,000, most of which have never been recovered. But he was captured after dropping a glove with his DNA on it while fleeing.
Giles Newell, defending, said his client had been caught up in a case of mistaken identity, but February did not provide an alibi and refused to attend some of the trial.
He will be sentenced tomorrow.
‘Grabbed jewellery and passports’