Jury given majority direction over robbery that ‘led man to kill himself’
Judge Philip Shorrock told the jury of 11 on Tuesday afternoon that a majority verdict would now be accepted.
A jury has been given a majority direction in the trial of two men allegedly involved in a £1.38 million robbery which, a court heard, resulted in a jewellery store manager taking his own life.
Junior Kunu, 30, and Mannix Pedro, 37, are charged with conspiring with others to commit the robbery after more than 70 “high-value” watches were stolen from a south-west London jewellery store last year.
Office manager Oliver White, 27, took his own life the next day “as a direct result” of the robbery, jurors were previously told.
Kunu, of Mitcham, south-west London, and Pedro, of Woking, Surrey, deny the charges and are on trial at Woolwich Crown Court.
Judge Philip Shorrock told the jury of 11 on Tuesday afternoon that a majority verdict would now be accepted, but that a unanimous verdict was still preferential.
The jury has so far been deliberating for three days, having first retired on Thursday.
At least two other people alleged to have been involved in the robbery are still at large, the court has heard.
During the trial, Mr White’s witness statement, given to police after the alleged attack, was read to the court.
He said that on May 25 two men entered the 247 Kettles shop in Richmond and “their body language was completely relaxed and there was nothing that made me suspect anything”.
Mr White said he was put in a headlock and could not move as they took the watches, and his skin was left reddened.
Pedro, who was not in the shop on May 25, was “closely involved in the planning and execution”, including the use of a stolen Audi as one of two getaway cars, the court heard.
The trial continues.
