Heist suspect ‘walked like Chaplin’, court told

THE “UNUSUAL” walk of a Hatton Garden burglar known as ‘Basil’ has been likened to Charlie Chaplin’s by a gait expert in court.

Dr Gordon Burrow said there was “strong support” from video evidence for the prosecution case that Michael Seed, 58, was the final member of the team who carried out the £13.7m heist.

CCTV images show the man nicknamed Basil disguised in a wig as he carries a black bin bag to and from the scene to obscure his face from the cameras during the 2015 Easter bank holiday weekend raid. Dr Burrow was asked to compare Basil’s gait with that of Seed, in covert footage taken as he strolled around Canary Wharf about a year later on April 28, 2016.

Police released pictures from earlier surveillance footage of Seed in November 2015, which was also shown in court.

“The conclusion is there is strong support for the proposition the unknown in question in the footage is that of the known footage by analysing features of the gait,” said Dr Burrow, giving evidence at Woolwich Crown Court on Wednesday.

“There are numerous consistencies and similarities of gait features between the unknown and that of the known suspect, which would support the proposition they are probably the same person.”

Dr Burrow, an expert in the fields of podiatry and chiropody, said the Hatton Garden footage showed “both feet are slightly abducted”, meaning they stick out.

He told jurors an example of foot abduction would result in a Charlie Chaplin-style walk. Seed, of London. is also alleged to have taken part in a raid on Bond Street jewellers Chatila. He denies two charges of conspiracy to commit burglary and one of conspiracy to convert or transfer criminal property and the trial continues.