Burglar jailed for eight years for stealing jewellery from Simon Cowell's home

A burglar who stole almost £1 million worth of jewellery from Simon Cowell's home has been jailed for eight years.

Darren February, 33, stole passports and jewellery from Cowell's west London home in December 2015 as the music mogul slept.

His security guard was in the loo at the time February broke in.

Cowell said the incident had left him fearing for the safety of his family, particularly his three-year-old son Eric.

In a statement, he added: "The whole incident has been very traumatic and there is a constant fear that it may be repeated and that it may be worse next time.

"I am very scared of what could have happened to my son if the burglar had gone into his room.

"I could not bear to think of the consequences, and also a lot would have happened if the burglar had come into our room."

February is already in prison for eight and a half years for causing death by dangerous driving after knocking down biker Kenneth Baldwin and leaving him to die in the street.

Sentencing February at Isleworth County Court, Judge Martin Edmunds QC said he had an "appalling previous record" and had not shown "any remorse or regret".

He said: "I can find no gap in your record to show that you have, at any time since the age of 12, interrupted your offending and the current burglary is one committed whilst you were on licence for other burglary offences."

The court heard a safe in Cowell's house had been kept open so his partner Lauren Silverman could quietly collect her jewellery ahead of a flight that morning.

Items stolen included earrings, watches, a half-a-million-pound ring, and a diamond bracelet - estimated to be worth £950,000 in total.

Cowell's security guard Simon Williams admitted he must have been in the bathroom at the time of the burglary and denied suggestions of an "inside job".

February opted not to give evidence, provided no alibi, and refused to leave prison for the trial.

He was identified by a private security guard on overnight patrol as he fled from the area, and his DNA was found on gloves he dropped, and a handprint on the wall of the house.

The lead officer in the case described him as a "danger to society".