DAVIS: ALBERT HALL GUARD ‘STOLE’ ROBBIE WILLIAMS’ MIC
A security guard stole a unique £4,000 microphone due to be used by Robbie Williams to perform in front of the Queen, a court heard today (Tues).
Oliver Davis, 48, grabbed the limited edition mic from the Royal Albert Hall on November 11, just two days before the Take That singer was to use it in the Royal Variety Performance, it is alleged.
Rastafarian Davis who worked at the historic venue, claims he took the Beyer Strässer M800 microphone because he was told by a colleague it was ‘broken’ and would be thrown out, Westminster Magistrates’ Court heard.
The royal gala event, screened on television, went ahead with a replacement and included performances by Kylie Minogue and One Direction in front of the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh.
Prosecutor Izolda Gribbin told the court how Davis had been hired to work as a security officer at the South Kensington venue and was on duty two days before the performance.
She said: ‘The microphone in question was a limited edition microphone to the value of £4,000.
‘The microphone was to be used by Robbie Williams on a later night in the Royal Variety Performance.
‘When it was discovered that it was missing police played CCTV which clearly showed the defendant taking the microphone off the stand and walking away.
‘He said he thought the microphone was broken and was going to be thrown away, and later in interview he maintained this position and that he intended to keep it as a souvenir.’
Police searched found the equipment owned by Richard Film Services at Davis’s home.
Davis initially admitted the charge but after telling District Judge Elizabeth Roscoe he was ‘not very clever’ he changed his plea to not guilty and will face a trial.
Defending, Sundeep Pankhania said: ‘He was told by a co-worker that the microphone was to be throw away and it was in these circumstances he took it.
‘He accepts he took it but he thought it was going to be abandoned.
‘Because it had sticky tape over one of the buttons he thought that it was broken and he thought that the only value attached to it was that it was going to be used by Robbie Williams.’
District Judge Elizabeth Roscoe told Davis, who appeared wearing a black woolly hat over his long dreadlocks and a Rastafarian scarf, that his alleged actions were ‘a breach of trust’.
Davis, of (9) Yorkshire Road, Mitcham, Surrey, denies one charge of theft.
The case was adjourned for a summary trial to be heard by magistrates next year.
