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AN “audacious” group of thieves nicked a £4.8 million solid gold toilet from Blenheim Palace in just five minutes — before flogging it to a top Hatton Garden jeweller, a court heard.

Michael Jones is alleged to have smashed through the front gates of the Oxfordshire stately home and nabbed the artwork, “America”, in September 2019.

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Simon Jones

Michael Jones allegedly smashed through the front gates of Oxfordshire stately home Blenheim Palace and nabbed the artwork, ‘America’, in September 2019[/caption]

Hyde News & Pictures Ltd

Blenheim Palace, where the alleged crime took place[/caption]

Pal Fred Doe is accused of selling the gold to jeweller Bora Guccuk alongside group figurehead James Sheen.

The toilet — which weighed 98kg (15st 4lbs) and was insured for £4.8million — had been fully plumbed in, causing significant damage when it was removed.

Prosecutor Julian Christopher KC told Oxford crown court: “The burglary was carefully planned and swiftly carried out.

“The men drove through locked wooden gates into the grounds of Blenheim Palace shortly before 5am in two stolen vehicles.

“They knew precisely where to go.

“They had sledgehammers, which they left at the scene.

“They went to the cubicle where the toilet was fully plumbed in, removed it, leaving water pouring out of the pipes, and drove away, spending just five minutes at the building.”

He added Jones, 40, who was working for ringleader Sheen’s building firm at the time, had made visits to the exhibition days before it opened.

Jones is alleged to have ­visited the toilet again only 17 hours before it was taken.

He is said to have snapped pictures of the loo, the inside of the door and the locks in the room in which it was on show, which had been guarded by a security officer.

Sheen, 39, has already pleaded guilty to burglary.

Jones was arrested in October 2019 and gave a no comment interview.

The toilet was never recovered and is believed to have been “split up into smaller amounts of gold and disposed of”.

Two days after the robbery, Sheen messaged Doe: “I got something right up your path.”

They went on to discuss how much the “car” — which the prosecutor said was a euphemism for the gold — was worth before Doe called Hatton Garden jewellers Pacha of London, owned by Mr Guccuk.

Mr Guccuk, 40, eventually paid £25,632 per kilogram, nearly £4,000 below market value, and planned to sell it on for £28,580.

The prosecutor said “Mr Guccuk must have known what type of gold he was getting”.

Jones, of Oxford, denies one count of burglary. Doe, of Ascot, Berks, also known as Fred Sines, and Guccuk, 40, of West London, both deny conspiracy to transfer criminal property.

The trial continues.

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The fully plumbed gold toilet was ripped out in a matter of minutes, the court heard[/caption]

MARRIED At First Sight viewers have a major complaint about tonight’s new reunion – saying “they’ve had their moment.”

Select couples from the popular dating show will return for a special dinner party, set to air on E4 in a matter of hours.

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E4 viewers have said the old E4 cast should not have returned for the reunion[/caption]

Channel 4

A special dinner party will air tonight with a mix of 2023 and 2024 contestants[/caption]

Those braving the reunion include Adam Nightingale, Amy Kenyon, Holly Ditchfield, Lacey Martin, Nathan Campbell, Kieran Chapman and Kristina Goodsell.

They are joined by other series nine contestants Hannah Norburn, Orson Nurse, Sacha Jones and Sionnain Carmichael.

In addition, a number of 2023 stars will also be in attendance, with the likes of Ella Morgan, Erica Roberts, Tasha Jay, Paul Liba, Matt Pilmoor and Shona Manderson.

But viewers have slammed bosses for bringing back old contestants from series eight for yet another reunion.

One wrote: “Not gonna bother. It’s not the recent cast, what’s the point?”

A second posted: “Don’t understand why the ones from last season are on there?? They had there moment.”

This person replied: “I thought that! Confusing,” while someone else echoed: “Absolutely agreed , annoying.”

Another added: “Stop bringing the wannabes back for more airtime.”

The brides and grooms will come together for the first time since leaving the experiment.

Together, they will share their thoughts on what went down during their time on the show.

The honesty box will also be making a return to the dinner table, so there’s bound to be some more tear-jerking moments in store.

While some MAFS UK couples have reportedly turned down the opportunity to make a comeback, others have claimed they weren’t invited back to the reunion.

In one clip, Hannah is seen crying as she gets ready to come face-to-face with her rival Holly.

During her time on MAFS, Hannah was involved in plenty of drama

She clashed with Polly and Holly after she was accused of flirting with Sionainn Carmichael‘s husband Ryan Livesey.

Things imploded when she found solace with another groom, Orson, even sharing a kiss with him after his marriage collapsed.

However, by the reunion she made a reappearance and was revealed to be dating Ryan outside of the experiment.

Their relationship didn’t last however, with the couple going their separate ways shortly after.

However, it’s her beef with Holly that is set to blow up again at the reunion, which airs tonight.

In a sneak peek, which sees MAFS stars from all different series’ come together, Hannah can be seen getting anxious at Holly’s arrival.

She’s heard saying how just the “thought of Holly arriving” makes her want to cry.

The two women had numerous rows on the show, and some of them were pretty hard to watch.

At some point Holly and her pal Polly were both accused of being “bullies” towards Hannah.

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Hannah is seen crying as she gets ready to come face-to-face with her rival[/caption]

Breaking Bad took the entire crime drama genre by storm when it was released in 2008. It showcased how circumstances can turn a high school teacher into a drug kingpin. And with actor Bryan Cranston leading the way as Walter White, it truly became a go-to show for millions. Much of this applause also goes […]

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For years, Bungie has been working tirelessly to maintain a balanced weapon system in Destiny 2. It has consistently adjusted weapon archetypes to ensure a diverse set of options, keeping the gameplay fresh and competitive. Despite all its efforts, one archetype struggles to find its place: Scout Rifles. While this archetype has its strengths, its […]

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President Donald Trump voiced support for Elon Musk's demand that federal employees explain their recent accomplishments by the end of Monday or risk getting fired.

A deranged vagrant who allegedly slashed a worker at a Brooklyn dollar store and then tried to light his victim on fire was cut loose without bail — after just three days at Rikers Island.

President Trump blasted MSNBC, saying the leftist network should pay “vast sums of money” for the “unpardonable sin” it has done to the country — while celebrating the axing of its star host Joy Reid, whom he called a “mentally obnoxious racist.” Trump took to Truth Social on Feb. 23 to rip the leftist network,...

The metal legends slam into Long Island on July 26.

A FURIOUS public row has erupted within the Happy Mondays – with backing singer Rowetta claiming frontman Shaun Ryder “punched her”.

In a series of explosive messages posted on X, Rowetta — who left the band after 34 years in December — wrote: “When I speak about Happy Mondays, it will always be true. I’m not a liar.

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Happy Mondays backing singer Rowetta has claimed frontman Shaun Ryder ‘punched her’ – the pair are pictured here with fellow bandmate Bez[/caption]

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Rowetta posted on X: ‘When I speak about Happy Mondays, it will always be true. I’m not a liar’[/caption]

“Shaun Ryder punched me, knocked me out & there were lots of witnesses & my son had to see me with a black eye.”

She added: “I’ve said nothing for years.

“They should be thanking me for keeping it quiet and not calling the cops instead of calling me a liar and threatening me with legal.”

I approached Shaun’s team with Rowetta’s allegation and they told me: “Shaun is shocked and dismayed to hear of Rowetta’s claim, which is particularly hurtful as it comes from someone who, until she left the Happy Mondays at the end of last year, was an important member of their family.

“For more than 25 years Rowetta was treated with love and respect by the band, its crew and representatives.

“Given her claim however, Shaun has had no choice other than to place the matter in the hands of his lawyers.”

Insiders told me the outburst came after Rowetta was told band member Bez’s wife Firouzeh would be taking over as the band’s singer.

They posted a statement at the time which read: “Happy Mondays and Rowetta announce that Rowetta will no longer be performing with the band. Happy Mondays thank Rowetta for her services and wish her the best for the future.”

And on Saturday night, the same night as Rowetta’s shock allegations, Happy Mondays performed at the Salford Community Stadium to celebrate rugby side Salford Red Devils’ first Super League home game of the season.

Firouzeh was seen on stage with Shaun and Bez, performing the vocals usually taken on by Rowetta.

A source close to the band said: “Shaun and Bez have worked with Rowetta for over 30 years but Firouzeh is taking over as their vocalist with Shaun.

‘It has turned very ugly’

“The band first talked about bringing Firouzeh in back in January as they are starting work on a new record.

“The decision came when they decided their time with Rowetta had come to an end.

“Rowetta is clearly very angry about the whole thing.

“It has turned very ugly, very quickly.

“Firouzeh is keeping her head down and just wants to crack on.

“No one expected this to get as messy as it has.”

Bez — real name Mark Berry — confirmed to me earlier this month that the group were pushing ahead with a new album, their first original songs since 2007, with the backing of their manager, former Creation Records and Oasis supremo Alan McGee.

Bez told me: “It’s going to be visionary.

“It’s going to be massive.

“I want to hear the most magic s**t you have ever heard.

“I’m sure we can deliver it.”

Rugby girl Pixie is a glass act

SHE waited ten years before releasing latest album Encino but now Pixie Lott has hit the ground running with a string of gigs.

Over the weekend she surprised guests watching the Six Nations rugby to at an IHG Hotel near London’s Twickenham by belting out the National Anthem.

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Pixie Lott has hit the ground running with a string of gigs[/caption]

Chatting to Bizarre Pixie admitted that, while champagne is a nice treat, nothing beats a pint of lager.

Pixie said: “I am partial to a few cheeky glasses of champers.

“But at the same time I love being in a local pub, watching rugby.”

She added: “I’ve got lots of festival dates this summer, and I’m so excited to be out there playing live.”

SUPER SYDNIE‘S LOUD AND PROUD FOR DEBUT TOUR

SOME singers are keen to shake off their Britain’s Got Talent roots, deeming it “uncool” or somehow a hindrance to their future success.

But as she took to the stage at London’s Aldwych Theatre, Sydnie Christmas proved she couldn’t be prouder.

Mixing her jaw-dropping vocals with Jane McDonald-style chatter, Sydnie’s used her debut UK tour to tell the story of how she went from a four-year-old with a dream to winning the hit ITV show and finally making her West End debut.

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Sydnie Christmas took to the stage at London’s Aldwych Theatre[/caption]

The 24-song set list was inspired by music greats including Nat King Cole and – bravely, but to Sydnie’s credit – Whitney Houston.

Impressively Sydnie nailed them all – taking on Whitney’s I Have Nothing seemingly with ease.

Sydnie isn’t short of star supporters either.

BGT judge Amanda Holden voiced the show’s pre-recorded introduction, while fellow panelist Bruno Tonioli proudly watched Sydnie on the sixth row.

Meanwhile, The Greatest Showman’s Loren Allred appeared as surprise guest to sing her and Sydnie’s recent version of Over The Rainbow.

It’s been a bumper 12 months for Sydnie and with more performances planned, including in New York, she shows no sign of slowing down.

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YOU know it’s going to be a party to remember when Snoop Dogg lights his joint off the sparkler on your birthday cake.

And Paris Hilton pulled out all the stops as she invited her closest celebrity mates to her “Slivington Manor” in Beverly Hills to celebrate her 44th birthday.

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Paris Hilton, Snoop Dogg and Jessica Alba[/caption]

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Anya Taylor-Joy and Jessica celebrate Paris’ 44th birthday[/caption]

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Sydney Sweeney also celebrated with the heiress at her huge house party[/caption]

As well as Snoop, stars including Anya Taylor-Joy, Cara Delevingne, Sydney Sweeney and Jessica Alba all celebrated with the heiress at her huge house party.

Paris, who wore a gem-covered dress which was embroidered with stars, had posh burgers and cocktails on tap at the bash – and even hired retro arcade games for her guests to play on.

She shared these snaps from the party and said: “Icons only for the best party of the year. I felt so loved celebrating with so many friends.

“Can’t wait for the next one.”

MICKEY’S MOVIE A SMASH

ACTOR MICKEY ROURKE’s experience as a professional boxer came in handy on the set of his new film – after he went off script and trashed the set.

The resulting scene in The Wheels Of Heaven made for an incredible watch, his co-star and executive producer Gary Stretch told me.

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Mickey Rourke’s experience as a professional boxer came in handy on the set of his new film[/caption]

But unfortunately it ended up costing the earth to fix.

Gary said: “Mickey was out there.

“He smashed the set up in one take – and it wasn’t in the script.

“We filmed it but then we had six more takes after and we had to rebuild the whole set.

“It was difficult.

“He did it because he’s one of those actors who just does what he wants.

“He is unpredictable but I find that exciting.

“It cost thousands to fix.

“I was thinking please don’t hit my million-dollar pound camera.”

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SAM FENDER has secured the biggest opening week of the year with People Watching – just four days after its release.

He has sold more than 100,000 units so far, becoming the first British solo artist to do so since Harry Styles’ Harry’s House in 2022, and is nailed on to land the No1 album spot on Friday.

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JUSTIN A WORK OF DART

JUSTIN HAWKINS has admitted his greatest passion away from his band The Darkness is a good old game of arrows.

Speaking on new Wondery+ podcast How Do You Cope?, which is out now, the frontman said: “I got to the point where I had a dedicated darts room in my house.

Rex

“I befriended darts players and got them to train me and got obsessed with it.

“I used to go to the darts all the time.

“I was trying to figure out how to get my shoulder closer to the board to the point where I developed a hyper-mobile shoulder.

“I was contacting the manufacturers of the barrels and the flights, so I had a signature darts barrel set in solid gold.”

We get it, Justin. You’re a big fan.

Watch out, Luke Littler.

TOP SPOT FOR AITCH

AITCH was a man on a mission, after challenging himself to climb Mount Kilimanjaro to raise money for the Down’s Syndrome Association.

And I’m chuffed to tell you he more than doubled his fundraising target – notching up over £158,000 in donations so far.

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Aitch climbed Mount Kilimanjaro for the Down’s Syndrome Association[/caption]

Aaron Fitzmaurice/ Supplied

He took part in the challenge in honour of his sister Gracie, who has Down’s Syndrome[/caption]

Speaking to me after arriving home, the Raving In The Studio rapper was in great form although admitted the five-day climb had pushed him, and his 17-strong team, to their limits.

“Something as simple as bending down to open your tent makes you feel like you’ve run 100 metres,” Aitch told me.

“Halfway up I turned around and one of my mates had an oxygen mask over his face and he had to go down, he couldn’t cope with the altitude.

“Then we had Johnny, who’s 60-odd-years-old, and he smashed it all the way to the top. You can’t predict how your body will react.”

After reaching the summit, which stands at 19,340ft, Aitch said he was overcome with emotion.

He explained: “I’m not much of an emotional guy but I left that mountain soaking wet with tears.

“You get to the top, everyone’s buzzing. And then the happy tears quickly turn to sad tears because you think, ‘S**t, we’ve got to get back down’. That was the most mentally draining part.”

Aitch took part in the challenge in honour of his sister Gracie, who has Down’s Syndrome, and said he wants to keep raising awareness for the association.

But what did Gracie make of the feat?

Aitch laughed: “She was buzzing and said she’d missed me and my dad, but she just wanted us to go to KFC.

“I wasn’t complaining about that.”

Everyone at Bizarre thinks you’ve more than deserved that bargain bucket, Aitch.

You know what’s funnier than watching a Psylocke player rage-switch to Moon Knight after failing to kill a Rocket for the fifth time? Watching content creators with mechanical god-tier skills make the most baffling takes about Marvel Rivals heroes they’ve probably never touched. Here we are, two months into 2025, and some folks still think support heroes […]

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