Cycling: 15 years in prison for a third robber of Mark Cavendish

British justice on Wednesday sentenced a man to 15 years in prison for the 2021 robbery of cyclist Mark Cavendish at his home, nine months after sending two other men behind bars in the same case.

Chelmsford Crown Court in Essex convicted Jo Jobson, 27, for her part in the robbery, despite her denials. He went to police in June, eighteen months after police released his photo.

The robbery took place on November 27, 2021, in the middle of the night, at the home of the Cavendish family, about forty kilometers northeast of London. The British runner was beaten “with punches” and one of the criminals brandished a knife, threatening to stab him in front of his children, according to the prosecutor.

The robbers notably left with two watches worth a total of 700,000 pounds sterling (more than 800,000 euros according to the current conversion rate).

The Cavendish couple “found comfort” through the sentence handed down on Wednesday, they reacted in a press release, saying they were “incredibly grateful” to the police and the justice system. However, they added, “this has been painful, distressing and heartbreaking for our family. Our children”, in particular “having to relive the events of that horrible night”.

“Targeted and carefully planned”, the coup was carried out by “at least four people, perhaps more”, declared Judge Timothy Walker who sentenced Jo Jobson.

In February 2023, the courts had already sentenced two men to 12 and 15 years in prison respectively. Police are seeking to arrest the last suspect.

Mark Cavendish (38), recognized as one of the best sprinters in the world, won 34 stage victories in the Tour de France, equaling Eddy Merckx's record, and won a silver medal on the track at the Olympic Games in Rio in 2016.