Convicted criminal who acted as ‘middle man’ in sale of £30k Cartier watch stolen from Duke of Westminster’s home is jailed for more than four years
A convicted criminal and drug dealer who acted as the ‘middle man’ in the sale of a £30,000 Cartier watch stolen from the stately home of the Duke of Westminster has been jailed for more than four years.
Nathan Elliott, 31, claimed that he had bought the Cartier London Tank JC watch from a friend for £150 and ‘thought it was a bargain’, Chester Crown Court was told.
But the timepiece was in fact one of three valuable watches stolen from the Duke of Westminister’s bedroom at Eaton Hall, Cheshire in August 2022 by burglar Matthew Turner, who was working on the Duke’s estate as a decorator.
Turner, a drug addict, also took a Panerai Luminor Marina and a Breitling – a 21st birthday present from the duke’s parents. Both were worth £7,000 and neither have been recovered.
Hugh Grosvenor, the Duke of Westminster and Britain’s 11th richest person, told an earlier hearing in a statement that the watches were of ‘huge sentimental value’ to him.
The duke is a close friend of Prince William and Prince Harry, he is the godfather of Prince George, William’s eldest child, and Prince Harry’s son Archie. King Charles is one of his godparents.
Elliott, of Ellesmere Port, Cheshire was jailed for a total of four years and ten months for possession of criminal property and for his role in an ‘sophisticated and well structured’ conspiracy to sell cannabis.
Nathan Elliott, 31, claimed that he had bought the Cartier London Tank JC watch from a friend for £150 and ‘thought it was a bargain’, Chester Crown Court was told
Hugh Grosvenor, the Duke of Westminster and Britain’s 11th richest person, told an earlier hearing in a statement that the watches were of ‘huge sentimental value’ to him
The duke is a close friend of Prince William and Prince Harry. Pictured: At his wedding to Olivia Henson in June last year
The timepiece was one of three valuable watches stolen from the Duke of Westminister’s bedroom at Eaton Hall, Cheshire in August 2022 by burglar Matthew Turner (pictured) who was working on the Duke’s estate as a decorator
Prosecutor Sion ap Michangel told the court yesterday that the Cartier watch turned up at a Bath auction house in November 2022 where it was sold for £22,500.
The ‘rare and easily recognisable’ watch had been put up for sale at the auction by Elliott and his partner Kayleigh Gordon but had been spotted by enthusiast Harry Fane who contacted the Duke of Westminister.
The court heard the theft was only uncovered ‘in an amazing coincidence’ when Mr Fane, who originally sold the watch to the duke for £18,000 spotted it on an auction house website.
Turner of Great Sutton, Chester was given a 20 month sentence suspended for two years at an earlier hearing and Gordon, of Ellesmere Port was given a nine months suspended for two years.
As he was sentenced, the duke said: ‘My bedroom was a private, extremely personal space within my home.
‘Someone trusted to do a job has entered my room and stolen my possessions. This has sadly affected the trust I have in a company I trusted to decorate my home.’
The judge sentencing Turner warned him: ‘You have escaped prison by the skin of your teeth.
‘I am sure all three watches, particularly the Breitling watch purchased by the duke’s now late father, would have particular sentimental value.’
Elliott, of Ellesmere Port, Cheshire was jailed for a total of four years and ten months for possession of criminal property and for his role in an ‘sophisticated and well structured’ conspiracy to sell cannabis
The duke is a close friend of Prince William and Prince Harry , he is the godfather of Prince George, William’s eldest child, and Prince Harry’s son Archie. Pictured: Hugh Grosvenor and Prince William in 2004
The duke had instructed workmen to decorate rooms at Eaton Hall (pictured) but not his bedroom
A Cartier London Tank JC wristwatch was among the items taken during the burglary last August
A Panerai Luminor Marina watch was also swiped by the thief
The court heard Turner was working for a well-respected, family-owned decorating firm which had done regular jobs for the Duke of Westminster’s family for 50 years.
The duke’s bedroom was not among the rooms needing refurbishment when the company was working at Eaton Hall at the time of the thefts in August 2022.
Elliott was one of 16 defendants sentenced for their role in a ‘industrial and well structured’ conspiracy to sell cannabis throughout Merseyside and Cheshire.
Mr ap Michangel said Elliott had just been released from prison for a separate offence in September 2023 when he ‘immediately’ became involved in the operation to distribute drugs from a unit on an industrial estate in Ellesmere Port.
He said he played ‘a significant role’ in the ‘storage, preparation and distribution’ of cannabis for five months until his arrest in March 2024.
Judge Simon Berkson jailed Elliott for eight months for possession or criminal property and gave him a consecutive sentence of 50 months for his role in the cannabis conspiracy.
He told him: ‘The watch had been stolen and was sold at auction for £22,500. You acted as the middle man between the burglar and the seller. You played an important role.’
The judge said that he had also played ‘a significant role’ in the cannabis conspiracy and had been seen moving ‘bulk amounts of cannabis’ from the storage unit.
