Three men deny charges over theft of gold toilet from Blenheim Palace

The fully functioning toilet, titled America, was created by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan and housed in the Oxfordshire country house where Sir Winston Churchill was born. Credit: PA Media

Four men charged over the theft of a £4.8 million gold toilet from Blenheim Palace have appeared in court.

James Sheen, 39, from Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, and Michael Jones, 38, from Oxford, pleaded not guilty to burgling the 18-carat art installation in an overnight raid in the early hours of 14 September 2019.

Sheen also denied a charge of transferring criminal property during the hearing at Oxford Crown Court on Friday.

Thieves stole the loo from a wood panelled room at Blenheim Palace. Credit: ITV Meridian

Sheen and 35-year-old Frederick Sines, aka Frederick Doe, from Ascot, Berkshire, also denied a charge of conspiracy to transfer criminal property.

Bora Guccuk, 40, from west London, has been charged with one count of conspiracy to transfer criminal property but was not asked to enter a plea during the hearing.

The fully functioning toilet, titled America, was created by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan and housed in the Oxfordshire country house where Sir Winston Churchill was born.

All four defendants were granted bail until their next court appearance.

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