BBC The Apprentice’s Baroness Karren Brady left terrified after suffering four burglar raids in 16 hours: ‘We feel paranoid’
Baroness Karren Brady has been left “terrified” after her £6 million Belgravia home was targeted by a burglar four times within just 16 hours.
The Apprentice star, 55, revealed the series of break-ins last May has had a “profound impact” on her and her family, leaving the businesswoman no longer feeling safe in her central London home following the repeated intrusions by 41-year-old Gregory Adnane.
Brady, who serves as vice-chair of West Ham United FC, said she has trouble sleeping and doesn’t like being alone at home since the incidents.
Adnane reportedly stole a £1,700 Prada bag and Amazon parcels worth more than £2,500 during the spree on May 16, 2024, also making off with cycling tops after repeatedly breaking into a basement storage area at the five-bedroomed terraced house.
Court documents revealed he struck four times within a 16-hour period while Brady was away and was even spotted on CCTV wearing one of the stolen cycling tops when he returned for his final raid.
He used his phone torch to hunt through the family’s belongings and brought a Waitrose bag to carry away more items.
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In a victim impact statement read to the court, Brady described the experience as a “deeply disturbing violation” of her personal space.
“Since the burglary, I have felt unsafe in my own home. Knowing that a stranger invaded my personal space, went through my belongings and had total disregard for my privacy has left me feeling vulnerable and unsettled.
“Before this crime, I felt safe in my home. That feeling has now been shattered.”
The businesswoman told the court she felt “targeted, watched and exploited” by the thief and added: “His repeated targeting of my property has changed the way I live my life. What used to feel like a safe and secure space now feels vulnerable.”
Prosecutor Carol Summers told the court: “On 16 May the defendant can be seen going past on his bicycle and he takes the parcels, more than one on the doorstep at that point.”
During his third visit, he used his phone torch to rummage through the storage area beneath the street before returning for a fourth time later the same day, bringing a bag to load up with more stolen items.
Adnane walked free from London’s Southwark Crown Court today after being handed an 18-month suspended sentence after admitting two counts of burglary and two of theft related to the incidents at Brady’s home.
Judge David Tomlinson described the offences as “one targeted location” that “cross the custody threshold”.
The judge said he would have jailed Adnane for at least two years if the case had gone to trial, but instead gave the burglar a “last chance” with a suspended sentence, warning that any breaches would “undoubtedly” result in jail time.
Brady had urged the court to consider the “full extent of harm” and “psychological toll” of Adnane’s crimes and said: “I have stepped up my security, I put the alarm on during the day, double-lock the doors and had security lights fitted at considerable cost to me.”
The ordeal has disrupted her normal routine significantly as she candidly admitted: “I no longer feel comfortable leaving my home for extended periods.”
The impact extends to her entire household, including her husband Paul Peschisolido and their two children, leaving her to add: “My family and I have become hyper-aware of our surroundings and safety when leaving or arriving home and often feel paranoid about noises or unfamiliar movements near our house.”