An accused thief has been acquitted of stealing his £144,000 one-of-a-kind designer watch from Formula 1 star Lando Norris at the Euro 2020 final.
The 23-year-old McLaren driver was held in a headlock by an unidentified man while the Richard Mille watch – one of only five in the world – was ripped from his wrist by another robber.
He was targeted as he walked to his sports car after England’s heartbreaking penalty shoot-out loss to Italy.
Liam Williams, 25, from Bootle, Merseyside, is said to have stolen the watch and left his DNA on the racer’s arm.
Williams claimed he was traveling to London that day with three friends hoping to ‘stay’ at Wembley to watch the Euro final as they didn’t have tickets.
Liam Williams, pictured outside Harrow Crown Court, has been cleared of stealing a £144,000 designer watch from Formula One star Lando Norris outside Wembley Stadium today
Lando Norris, pictured, was wearing a specially commissioned Richard Mille watch when he was approached by two men outside Wembley Stadium after the Euro 2020 final. One held him in a headlock while the second stole the watch pictured
He couldn’t explain why his DNA was found on the racer’s left wrist.
Williams was also unable to give police the contact details of the three men he traveled with from Liverpool to London, claiming he had not spoken to them again.
He denied and was acquitted of the robbery after a week-long trial.
The watch, known as the RM6702, was the only one in the world with a blue strap custom-made to fit the driver’s wrist, Harrow Crown Court heard.
Although it was never put up for sale, the designer estimates it to be worth around £144,000.
Mr Norris was robbed in the yellow VIP car park at Wembley Stadium after the final.
Williams said he was attending a party after the final when one of the men he was traveling to London with warned him not to talk about the stolen watch.
“Basically I was at the party with the guys from London on the balcony and I was on a video call on Instagram to discuss the game with a friend from back home and these guys had a watch and blah blah blah and one of the guys heard me and it got a little hot.
“They said, ‘Why were you talking about the watch?’ … I don’t know if they thought I was screwing them.”
Prosecutor Tyrone Silcott said: “So you say at the party you were on Instagram and you told someone you found the watch?”
Williams replied: “Yes I just video called a friend who was talking about the footy and we got on the clock and someone overheard me talking about it and an argument ensued.
“Then on Tuesday I could see all these phone calls of a number calling me at night and at that point I didn’t know who it was but since they were speaking to me.
Williams, of Bootle, Merseyside, denied the robbery and was found not guilty by a jury after almost two hours of deliberation (Photo: Lando Norris)
“It was the same boy I had the argument with, he just said ‘don’t tell about the clock’ to ‘shut up and say no more’.
“He kept arguing with me on the phone and the next day he did the same thing and just threatened me and at that point I thought I needed to change my phone number.
“And when I got arrested, I changed my phone number … I was a little scared I’d get threats and stuff,” Williams said.
“They threatened me, and they said they knew my name … I was just scared if someone threatens you, you’re going to change it, aren’t you?”
Williams, of Bootle, Merseyside, denied the robbery and was found not guilty by a jury after nearly two hours of deliberation.
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