Ninth man remanded over Dome raid

The London attraction was targeted a week ago

A ninth man charged in connection with the attempted diamond robbery at the Millennium Dome has been remanded in custody.

Wayne Taylor, 35, a horse dealer from Tonbridge, Kent, is accused of attempting to steal the De Beers Millennium Jewels, valued at more than £250m, from the attraction in Greenwich on Tuesday last week.

He is also accused of putting staff at the attraction in fear of being subjected to force.

He appeared alongside Kevin Meredith, 34, a charter skipper, from Brighton, East Sussex, at Belmarsh Magistrates Court in south east London.

Mr Meredith, who is accused of attempted robbery, made an application for bail but was remanded in custody and both men agreed not to reappear in court until 7 December.

Five other men were charged last week with attempted robbery. They are:

William Cochrane, 48, of Catford, south-east London.

Market trader Raymond Betson, 39, of no fixed abode.

Terence Millman, an unemployed 56-year-old, of no fixed abode.

Robert Adams, an unemployed 57-year-old, of no fixed abode.

Aldo Ciarrocchi, 31, of Bermondsey, south-east London.

Two other men were charged with aiding and abetting the robbery. They are:

Motor trader James Wenham, 57, of Tonbridge, Kent.

His son Lee Wenham, a 32-year-old mechanic, of Gillingham, Kent.

Mr Cochrane, Mr Betson, Mr Adams and Mr Ciarrocchi also face two allegations of criminal damage.

The collection of diamonds targeted in the raid - but replaced with crystal replicas at the last minute - are said to be going back on display "in the very near future".

Negotiations are going on between the Dome and De Beers about when the real gems can be seen by the public again.