30 October 2023 , 12:09
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Jo Jobson has been found guilty of robbing Olympic medal-winning cyclist Mark Cavendish and his wife, Peta Todd.
Jobson, 27, is adjudged to have stolen their high-value watches in a knifepoint raid at their Essex home in November 2021. He denied the robbery but was on Monday found guilty at Chelmsford Crown Court.
Prosecutor Edward Renvoize told the Crown Court last week that an armed gang including Jobson took two high-value Richard Mille watches which were worth a total of £700,000. The raid took place at around 2:30am two years ago while the Cavendish and his wife's children were at home.
Jobson faced two robbery charges - one of of having taken a watch, two phones and a safe from cycling legend Cavendish, and the other of stealing a watch, phone and a suitcase from former British glamour model Peta. In February, two other men were jailed at Chelmsford Crown Court for their role in the robbery which took place in Ongar, Essex.
Jobson was the third man wanted by police and he handed himself in at Chelmsford Police Station in June of this year. It came 18 months after police first issued a photo appeal identifying him as a suspect.
Cavendish robbers jailed for combined 27 years over knifepoint raid at his home
The 27-year-old, of no fixed address, denied two counts of robbery but was found guilty following a trial. Jurors returned their verdicts on Monday after under two days of deliberation.
Cavendish, who hails from the Isle of Man, is the all-time joint record holder for Tour de France stage wins. The 38-year-old, who broke his collarbone on the eighth stage of this year's Tour, is aiming to pass the 34 also won by Belgian icon Eddy Merckx during the 2024 event.
He announced earlier this month that he was delaying his retirement in search of the holding outright Tour record, having signed a new one-year contract with his team, Astana-Qazaqstan. "I love riding my bike," Cavendish vowed. "I spoke to the kids; they said carry on."
Mark Cavendish is looking to break the Tour de France record in 2024He added in a video posted on the team's social media channels: "So here we are - just one more year. Obviously it wasn't the finish I hoped for, crashing at the Tour de France, but it is what it is.
"We grew incredibly as a team at Astana - it felt like a real family. So much so, the first thing Vino (Astana general manager Alexander Vinokourov) said when I crashed was 'Why don't you do another year?'
"[I said] 'No, no.' [It was not just] coming back from a collarbone, but coming back from another injury... I was ready [to retire]. I was at peace, but the more I've ridden this summer... I just love riding my bike."
His best Olympic result came by winning the silver medal in the omnium at Rio 2016. In 2011, having won the UCI World Road Cycling Championships, he was named BBC Sports Personality of the Year.