TWELVE men charged with offences relating to an aggravated burglary in Somerset dating back to 2009 are due to appear in court tomorrow (Thursday).

Valuable paintings and jewellery were taken from the property in the Bruton area in March of that year.

Fifteen well-known and valuable paintings, expensive jewellery and silverware - including a silver canteen of cutlery, ornate mirror and pair of silver candelabra - were taken during the burglary. They were together valued at around £2.5 million.

All but one of the 15 paintings taken have been recovered. The outstanding one is Sir John Lavery’s After Glow Taplow.

Following a complex and detailed investigation, a series of arrests was made in the West Midlands, Gloucestershire, London, Surrey and Kent.

And now 12 men have been charged in connection with the burglary.

They are due to appear at Bristol Magistrates' Court.

The 12 are:

  • Liam Judge, aged 41, of Foley Close, Tuffley in Gloucestershire;
  • Matthew Evans, aged 40, of Coral Close, Tuffley in Gloucestershire;
  • Mark Regan, aged 45, of no fixed address;
  • Skinder Ali, aged 38, of no fixed address;
  • Donald Maliska, aged 63, of Abbey Place, Priory Road, Dartford;
  • John Morris, aged 55, of Cowper Gardens, London;
  • Jonathan Rees, aged 62, of Village Close, Weighbridge, Surrey;
  • David Price, aged 52, of Virginia Court, London, London TBC;
  • Ike Obiamiwe, aged 55, of Perryn Road, Ealing, London;
  • Nigel Blackburn, aged 60, of Frederick Street, Hockley, Birmingham;
  • Azhar Mir, aged 64, of Halstead Grove, Solihull;
  • and Thomas Lynch, aged 42, of St Benedict’s Road, Small Heath, Birmingham.

Charging details:

  • Conspiracy to rob – the planned robbery of the Bulmers Judge, Evans and Ali;
  • Assisting in the realisation of stolen property – taking part in the plan to convert the painting into cash/gold knowing or believing the paintings were stolen Ali, Regan, Lynch, Maliska, Price, Obiamwe, Morris & Rees;
  • Conspiracy to defraud – a separate agreement to inflate the reward and deceive Hiscox into transferring the funds in a way which disguised its final recipient Rees, Maliska, Price and Obiamwe;
  • Converting criminal property – converting the funds from Hiscox to gold, cash or other property Blackburn and Mir;
  • Perverting the course of justice – lying to the police and making formal statements of those lies Rees.