Four charged over Blenheim Palace gold toilet theft

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has authorised charges in relation to the theft of a gold toilet from Blenheim Palace valued at £4.8 million.

James Sheen, 39, has been charged with one count of burglary, one count of conspiracy to transfer criminal property and one count of transferring criminal property.

Michael Jones, 38, has been charged with one count of burglary.

Fred Doe, 35, and Bora Guccuk, 39, have both been charged with one count of conspiracy to transfer criminal property.

Shan Saunders from CPS Thames & Chiltern said: “The CPS has authorised charges in relation to the theft of a gold toilet from Blenheim Palace in 2019.

“Criminal proceedings against James Sheen, Michael Jones, Fred Doe and Bora Guccuk are now active and they each have the right to a fair trial.

“It is extremely important that there should be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings.” 

The function of the CPS is not to decide whether a person is guilty of a criminal offence, but to make fair, independent and objective assessments about whether it is appropriate to present charges for a criminal court to consider. 

The CPS assessment of any case is not in any sense a finding of, or implication of, any guilt or criminal conduct. It is not a finding of fact, which can only be made by a court, but rather an assessment of what it might be possible to prove to a court, in accordance with the Code for Crown Prosecutors. 

The four men will appear at Oxford Magistrates' Court on 28 November 2023.