Ex-bodyguard to James Stunt cleared of stealing £515,000 diamond ring

Divorce battle: Petra Ecclestone and James Stunt
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A bodyguard for Petra Ecclestone’s ex-husband has been cleared of stealing a £515,000 diamond ring from his Belgravia home.  

Justinas Ivaskevicius, 34, was accused of the theft of a 16.18-carat jewel from gold dealer James Stunt’s £10 million home three years ago.  

He was suspected of involvement in its disappearance after an attempt to sell the ring to a dealer in Antwerp.  

But Ivaskevicius’ lawyer told Southwark crown court other members of Mr Stunt’s household staff could have taken the ring.  

Following a trial, jurors today cleared Ivaskevicius of theft as well as an allegation he had been running a cannabis factory.  

But he was convicted of two counts of possessing criminal property and four counts of handling stolen goods, relating to large amounts of cash and stolen cheques found at his home by police.  

Judge Deborah Taylor, Recorder of Westminster, remanded Ivaskevicius in custody until a sentencing hearing on January 5.

Mr Stunt’s marriage to F1 heiress Petra Ecclestone had broken down months before it is said the diamond ring went missing from his Belgravia mews property in December 2017.  

The trial heard evidence of his chaotic lifestyle, taking cocaine, meeting with call girls, and having a hands-off approach to his personal affairs.  

Mr Stunt told the court he believed that jewels valued at around £30 million - including the diamond ring - had been stolen from him during a burglary.  

Detective Inspector Kieren Pender, who investigated the missing jewels, said Mr Stunt claimed one of the gems stolen was a diamond he had bought for his four-year-old daughter who was “upset” at her parents’ divorce.  

“He said that he bought a diamond for her, in relation to the divorce I understand he was going through at the time”, he said.  

Mr Stunt said the key to his safe was kept in a box in the glove compartment of his Rolls-Royce, and the key to that car was kept in a basket in the kitchen along with keys to his other vehicles.

Asked about this arrangement, the police officer said: “I felt that it was a poorly conceived security arrangement.”

Ivaskevicius was accused of going by the alias Sebastian Thomasz Kowal to try to sell the ring, but he said contact with the Antwerp dealer may have come from a friend who was visiting his home.  

Ivaskevicius, from Cambridge, denied and was acquitted of theft, possessing an identity document with improper intention, and producing a Class B drug.  

He denied and was found guilty of two counts of possessing criminal property and four counts of handling stolen goods.

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