Cleaner steals more than £30,000 from Derren Brown

A cleaner has admitted to stealing cheques from the gay TV magician Derren Brown.

Southwark Crown Court heard Rocio Pavon-Navarrete, 47, took two signed cheques from Mr Brown’s home in central London while he was away.

Sky News reports that Mr Brown, who attended an LGBT reception hosted by Nick Clegg earlier this week, sat in the public gallery to hear proceedings.

Pavon-Navarrete, who also ran a discount goods shop, broke down in tears after pleading guilty to one charge of theft.

The court heard how she passed cheques worth £21,550 and £11,500 to Bernard Ayanbanjo, 48, who pleaded not guilty to two charges of fraud.

The cheques had been signed by James Cooper, the illusionist’s manager, but had been left blank and stored at his home for use by his assistant while Mr Brown and Mr Cooper were away on business in 2010.

Nigerian national Mr Ayanbanjo told police after his arrest: “I didn’t steal the cheques from anyone.”

Pavon-Navarrete will be sentenced on October 11, Mr Ayanbanjo’s trial continues.

In April of last year, Derren Brown revealed he had previously “flirted” with a church that tries to cure gay people of their sexuality.

The magician said that before he came out in 2008, he had spent time with the Living Waters movement, which offers healing to those with “same sex attraction”.

• Nov 29 2023

56 celebrities you didn’t know are gay, bisexual or lesbian