A burglar scaled walls to get inside Simon Cowell's house to steal jewellery worth almost £1 million from an open safe as The X Factor supremo and his family slept, a court has heard.
It is alleged Darren February, 34, who denies the charge, targeted Simon's property inf west London, but was spotted making off by a private security guard who was patrolling the area overnight.
At the time of the break-in at around 1.30am on December 4, 2015, Cowell was asleep in the house in Holland Park.
His partner, Lauren Silverman, their toddler son, Eric, and a nanny were also at the property.
Police outside Simon Cowell's house after the burglary.
The safe, inside a wardrobe in a bedroom, had been left open as Ms Silverman was due to fly out the next morning, jurors were told as the trial opened at Isleworth Crown Court.
February allegedly forced his way into the house through a rear floor patio door, having first tried the front door in an attempt described as 'a bit ambitious' by prosecutor Denis Barry.
Mr Barry said: 'He (Mr Cowell) gives evidence that the items stolen were worth £950,000. He was at home on the 4th of December 2015 together with his partner and child, the nanny and the security officer downstairs.'
As he made off from the burglary the defendant is said to have dropped a passport and some of the jewellery, having been approached by security worker M'Batonha Mendes, the court heard.
A second passport was later found at a refuse facility and handed to police.
The jury will hear, Mr Barry added, from two scientific experts, about DNA found on gloves that the prosecution say were worn by the defendant and discarded on his escape route from the crime.
A handprint was also found on a wall outside the property as, the prosecution suggest, he stopped to take a short break.
Mr Barry said: “It would appear from the CCTV that the burglar is catching his breath because he had to shimmy over lots of different walls to get in to the premises and around the premises.”
February, who has dozens of convictions for burglary, was also later identified by two police officers who studied CCTV footage, Mr Barry said.
He added: “Mr February over a few years has committed a total of 37 burglaries and what is more relevant, he has committed a total of 37 burglaries, most of which are in this area. These areas are some of the more wealthy areas in London.”
Simon Cowell has since stepped up security, saying: “It’s a wake-up call. I’ve changed lots of things to make it harder to get into.
“This is happening hundreds of times a day across the country, I’m not the only one. Most people, like me, think, ‘At least no one got hurt.”
February, of no fixed address, denies one count of burglary.
The trial is expected to last a week.
