Two individuals have been sentenced for their roles in the theft of a £4.75m gold toilet from Blenheim Palace. James Sheen, 40, and Michael Jones, 39, were part of the gang responsible for planning and executing the burglary at the Oxfordshire stately home.

Sheen, a roofer who admitted to burglary, conspiracy, and transferring criminal property, received a four-year prison sentence at Oxford Crown Court. This term will be served consecutively to the 19 years and four months he is currently serving for other criminal activities.

Michael Jones, who worked for Sheen and was convicted of burglary, was sentenced to two years and three months. The fully functioning 18-carat gold artwork, titled America, was stolen from Blenheim Palace in September 2019. The stolen toilet was quickly split up or melted down and sold, and it has never been recovered.

A 'Bold and Brazen Heist'

Judge Ian Pringle KC described the theft as a "bold and brazen heist" that took less than six minutes to complete. He emphasized that Sheen's sentence must be consecutive to his current one and highlighted Jones' role in scouting the museum and planning the burglary.

During the court proceedings, it was revealed that Sheen and his accomplices used stolen vehicles to gain entry to the palace and steal the gold toilet. The gold was valued at £2.8m at the time of the theft but was insured for £4.75m.

After the burglary, Sheen contacted another individual about selling the gold, using coded messages to discuss the transaction. Jones, who had visited the stately home multiple times before the raid, was arrested in October 2019 after police found incriminating evidence on his phone.

Sheen's DNA was discovered on a sledgehammer left at the scene and in one of the stolen trucks used in the heist.