Billionaire’s ex-bodyguard accused of diamond heist

James Stunt’s former bodyguard stole a £500,000 yellow diamond in a raid on the billionaire’s Belgravia home, a court heard.

Justinas Ivaskevicius, 34, is accused of taking a safe key from one of Stunt’s supercars so he could steal a 16-carat yellow diamond described by Stunt as ‘the size of a Polo mint’.

The former chauffeur and bodyguard appeared in court charged with theft after the gem was found in America.

The development comes more than two years after Stunt claimed he had been the victim of Britain’s biggest burglary.

At the time, he told police £90mn of gems, cash and diamond-encrusted watches had vanished while he was sleeping at the central London home he once shared with his former wife, Formula One heiress Petra Ecclestone.

Scotland Yard spent months investigating the raid on December 14, 2017, before closing the case, saying they had found no evidence of forced entry and had exhausted all leads after interviewing Stunt’s staff.

But now it can be revealed that police are still searching for the missing loot after the art dealer’s former bodyguard was arrested on Wednesday.

Westminster Magistrates’ Court heard that the 16-carat yellow diamond made its way to New York.

Prosecutor Malachy Pakenham said: ‘The victim is James Stunt. He describes himself as a multi-billionaire businessman, a man of means. He reported the burglary. He said items were stolen including a quantity of diamonds, diamond rings, watches and gold bars.

Initially, he thought it could be between £50mn and £90mn. Police say it’s around £20mn.

“The police examined the address, CCTV, made telephone enquiries. They spoke to his staff, bodyguards, and visitors. The victim employs a large number of staff including butlers, bodyguards, cleaners and has at least five members in his security team.

“They were all interviewed and police reached a conclusion that there was not any form of break-in.”

Ivaskevicius has not been charged with the theft of any of the other items that Stunt claims were taken in the burglary.

At the time of the theft, Stunt provided a detailed list of items taken, including the yellow diamond.

A large pink diamond worth £2mn was also missing as well as four blue and three large white diamonds, £50,000 in euros, Swiss francs and US dollars.

Gold bars weighing 13lb and worth £186,000 and several watches made by Audemars Piguet, worth £500,000 each, were also taken.

Ivaskevicius denied theft and a second charge of possession of criminal property in relation to £50,000 in cash.