Woman admits stealing illusionist Derren Brown's cheques

Illusionist Derren Brown has tweeted he "should have seen it coming, shouldn't I", after the performer's cleaner admitted stealing cheques from his home.

Rocio Pavon-Navarrete, 47, took two signed cheques from Brown's home while he was away.

Co-accused Bernard Ayanbanjo, 48, went on trial for fraud after it was alleged he received the cheques from the cleaner and paid them into his bank account.

Brown sat in the public gallery during the proceedings at Southwark Crown Court, wearing a brown suit, white shirt and black tie.

Pavon-Navarrete, of Bardsley Lane, Greenwich, broke down in tears after pleading guilty to one charge of theft. She will be sentenced on October 11 and judge David Higgins warned her she could be jailed.

Ayanbanjo, of Waverley Road, Woolwich, has pleaded not guilty to two charges of fraud.

Bethan Charnley, prosecuting, told the jury that he is accused of taking the cheques, worth £21,550.35 and £11,500, from Pavon-Navarrete and paying them into his own bank account between October and December 2010.

The cheques were signed by James Cooper, Mr Brown's manager, but were left blank and stored at his home in Baker Street, central London for use by his assistant while Brown and Mr Cooper were away on business, Ms Charnley.

"At some point between April 1 and June 30 (2010) these cheques were stolen by the cleaning lady who is called Rocio Pavon-Navarrete, and she pleaded guilty to an allegation of theft.

These cheques were later presented at the Co-operative Bank. They were by that point filled in with the details you see before you and subsequently the money was transferred in the normal way and out of the account held at Coutts by Mr Brown," she said.

"He (the defendant) presented these cheques fraudulently and dishonestly, knowing he had no right to the money."