The golden toilet has been used by the theft accused before he heard

A man accused of stealing a gold toilet of 4.8 million pounds used it in a visit to the Blenheim Palace the day before Heist, describing it as “splendid”, he heard a court.

The art work, called America, was taken from The Stly Home in Oxfordshire in the early hours of September 14, 2019, two days after it was displayed.

Michael Jones, 39, from Oxford, denies a number of theft. Fred Doe, 36, from Windsor and Bora Guccuk, 41, from West London, both denies conspiracy to transfer criminal properties.

Giving evidence, Mr. Jones said he visited the exhibition the day before and was “at home in bed” when the toilet was stolen.

The 18 carat gold, the fully functional toilet was part of an exhibition of the Italian concept artist Maurizio Cattelan.

Public members have booked slots to use the toilet in its cabin.

Mr. Jones told the court that, during his reserved slot, he used it.

Crispin Aylett KC, Defense lawyer for Mr. Doe, asked Mr. Jones “how was it?” Mr. Jones replied “Splendid”.

A fourth man, James Sheen, 40 years old, from Welingborough in Northamptonshire, was previously guilty of burglary.

Mr. Jones told the court that he was friends with Sheen and that he worked as a roof and general builder for the Sheen construction company.

During his evidence, he said that the messages and voice notes between the two around the Heist period were tied to work or about a big dog channel that was planning to help Sheen collect from Milton Keynes immediately after his exhibition visit.

He denied that his two visits to the palace in the days before the attack were just as recognition for the robbery.

He told the jury that he went to the palace on September 7 to see a car show and again on September 13 to see the exhibition.

The toilet weighed 98 kg and was provided for $ 6 million (4.8 million pounds). The prices of gold at that time would have seen the gold worth 2.8 million pounds, the court heard.

The palace is a UNESCO World Heritage and was Sir Winston Churchill’s birthplace.

The process continues.