Kelly Duong, the partner of a burglar convicted of stealing from footballer Ashley Cole, has been sentenced for the theft of a £3.5 million tiara. 

In a recent trial, Duong received a two-year suspended jail term for her involvement in stealing the Portland Tiara from the Harley Gallery in Worksop in 2018. As the final member of the gang that stole millions of pounds of jewellery, including the Portland Tiara, Duong helped organise a meticulously planned heist with military precision.

The tiara was a Cartier headpiece worn by the Duchess of Portland to the coronation of King Edward VII in 1902. Although the diadem has been reclaimed, it was broken up, and the prosecuting QC explained that it would never be seen again “in its original state.”

The thief gang comprised Duong, Ashley Cumberpatch (38), Andrew McDonald (44), and Kurtis Dilks (37), who successfully stole the historic tiara and a companying brooch from an armoured glass display.

Duong’s involvement and trial

Previously in 2022, Duong was tried alongside Cumberpatch, her partner, and other co-defendants in 2022. However, she later became uninvolved during the proceedings. Meanwhile, Cumberpatch and others were convicted of the burglary in the original trial, as well as the burglary of the home of footballer Cole, which happened a day after.

Following a 13-week trial at the same court in 2022, the other gang members were found guilty of conspiring to steal the Harley Gallery, which they had all denied. The judge declared the haul as culturally priceless and condemned it as “a heinous act on the country’s heritage.”

During Duong’s recent trial, commencing on February 22, 2024, the judge cited information retained from various references, especially from her family.

“You were in a long-term relationship with Ashley Cumberpatch – a highly-dangerous career criminal who is now serving a long prison sentence,” the judge said to Duong. “You knew about his character and criminal activities, and when he required you to become involved, you did so willingly.”

Prosecutor Henry James informed the court that Duong’s involvement in the conspiracy occurred when she and Cumberpatch visited the estate in August 2017, recording their visit with a GoPro camera. 

“The recording captured details about the diamonds and the property’s exterior, including entry points and potential burglary methods,” James said. “In the video, she can be heard saying, ‘I am going to look around and film the sheep so it looks like I’m filming everything.”

In mitigation, defence lawyer Saleema Mahmood urged the judge to suspend any potential prison sentence for her client, claiming that Duong’s role “is limited.”

“She was in a relationship where she was influenced, if not physically, then mentally and emotionally,” Mahmood said. “She is a single parent to two children.”

Crime spree in 2018

The 2018 Harley Gallery tiara heist perpetrators wore motorcycle helmets and boilersuits to steal the two pieces of diamond-encrusted jewellery. This break-in occurred around 10 p.m. on Tuesday, November 20, 2018.

A day after raiding the gallery, three gang members proceeded to carry out a raid at the residence of former England left-back Cole and his partner. There was also a similar conspiracy to rob the Lincolnshire home of former Tottenham and Derby midfielder Tom Huddlestone.

Furthermore, the gang was also convicted of conspiring to rob a couple’s home in Burton Avenue, Carlton, during which they wore masks and entered armed with knives and other weapons. 

During this raid, MacDonald severed part of the terrified homeowner’s ear and threatened to sever his thumb. The victim was beaten, threatened with death, and then forcibly taken to his mother’s residence, where her jewellery and Rolex watch were stolen.

In light of the gang’s vicious crimes, high net-worth individuals (HNWIs) are advised to consider investing in professional security services such as Marengo to protect their homes and assets from similar criminal activities. These services can identify a home’s security weaknesses and create an intelligent and effective security plan.