Sam Cam’s baronet father mugged for iPhone on his estate
SAMANTHA Cameron’s father was mugged for his mobile phone while driving around his country estate, a court has heard.
Sir Reginald Sheffield, 74, was targeted at Normanby Hall, near Flixborough in Lincolnshire.
Antony Wilks, 25, is alleged to have taken the phone from Sir Reginald, who is the eighth baronet of Normanby, following a struggle. Wilks appeared before Grimsby magistrates on Saturday but did not enter a plea.
Mark Haigh, prosecuting, said Sir Reginald was driving his car on the estate when he spotted two men in a Volkswagen Golf blocking his route.
A man got out of the car and approached Sir Reginald’s open window before allegedly saying: ‘I’ll have your phone, ta.’ He is said to have then grabbed Sir Reginald’s left arm before stealing his iPhone 8 and getting back into the car to drive off.
Despite coronavirus protocols, which have seen defendants appear via video link, Wilks attended Saturday’s hearing in person. District judge Daniel Curtis refused bail and Wilks was remanded in custody ahead of an appearance at Grimsby Crown Court. The alleged offence took place on April 14.
Sir Reginald, who turned 74 at the weekend, is the father-in-law of Tory former prime minister David Cameron.
He was a Conservative councillor on Humberside County Council from 1985 to 1993. Built in the 1820s, the imposing Normanby Hall is a Regency mansion designed by Robert Smirke, the architect of the British Museum. It was leased to Scunthorpe Borough Council in 1964 on a 99-year lease.
During the 19th and 20th centuries the Sheffield family spent five months of the year at Normanby Hall and during the winter would shoot pheasants.
The entire estate consists of 6,000 acres, with the grounds including parkland, woodland, duck ponds and a deer park.
Mrs Cameron, 49, is the eldest of Sir Reginald’s daughters from his first marriage to Viscountess Astor, who co-founded interiors company Oka.
She grew up at Normanby Hall before attending £39,000-a-year Malborough College and going on to study fine art at the University of the West of England.
Sir Reginald lives on the Normanby estate with his wife Lady Victoria. He attracted controversy in 2011 over the construction of 400ft wind turbines.
He denied owning the publicly subsidised power generators and in a letter to the Spectator magazine insisted his estate received from them a ‘modest income of less than one tenth of £3.5million’. The turbines reportedly caused outcry among locals, although Sir Reginald said the planning application led to very little opposition. Wind farms have been heavily subsidised with public cash under a scheme introduced by the Labour government to promote renewable energy. The initiative was criticised for helping wealthy landowners.
Sir Reginald also owns Sutton Park, an 18th century house and estate in the village of Suttonon-the-Forest near York.
‘Blocked his way and grabbed his arm’