Prince George's godfather Duke of Westminster 'struggles to trust tradesmen' as thief who stole his luxury watches worth £30,000 is spared jail 'by the skin of his teeth'

The Duke of Westminster revealed he now struggles to trust tradesmen as a cocaine-addict painter and decorator was sentenced for stealing high-value watches from his bedroom.

Hugh Grosvenor, the King's godson and Britain's 11th-richest person, worth nearly £10bn, told a court he suffered a 'significant' impact from the crime at his Cheshire stately home, Eaton Hall.

As Matthew Turner, 24, received a 20-month suspended jail term at Chester Crown Court today for burglary, the duke said: 'My bedroom was a private, extremely personal space within my home. 

'Someone trusted to do a job has entered my room and stolen my possessions. This has sadly affected the trust I have in a company I trusted to decorate my home.'

The judge sentencing Turner warned him: 'You have escaped prison by the skin of your teeth.' 

The three watches totalled more than £30,000 in value. One was a Cartier London Tank JC wristwatch, made in 1973 and sold to the Duke by Cartier watch expert Harry Fane for £18,000, which has since been returned.

The two others – which have never been recovered - were a Panerai Luminor Marina and a Breitling - a 21st birthday present from the duke's parents.

In his victim impact statement, read by prosecutor Peter Hussey, the 32-year-old Duke – godfather to Prince George - added that 'the impact of the crime was significant' and that both missing watches were 'of high sentimental value'.

The court heard the theft was only uncovered 'in an amazing coincidence' when Mr Fane spotted the Cartier Tank watch on an auction house website.

Watch expert Mr Fane noted the serial number of the watch and contacted the duke, who discovered the thefts.

Sentencing Turner, who had pleaded guilty to burglary and a later theft at a previous hearing, Judge Steven Everett said: 'You have escaped prison by the skin of your teeth.

'I am sure all three watches, particularly the Breitling watch purchased by the duke's now late father, would have particular sentimental value.'

The court heard Turner was working for a well-respected, family-owned decorating firm which had done regular jobs for the Duke of Westminster's family for 50 years.

The duke's bedroom was not among the rooms needing refurbishment when the company was working at Eaton Hall at the time of the thefts in August 2022.

Turner, who had no previous convictions, was also sentenced for theft after being caught on CCTV stealing £60 from a colleague's wallet when working subsequently at a tyre firm in December the same year.

Defending barrister Myles Wilson said: 'He is no longer addicted to cocaine. He can see through drugs and how they have masked issues that he had.'

The judge said he could make no compensation order for the duke's watches but Turner, of Ellesmere Port, must pay £500 compensation for the later theft.

Turner nodded in the dock as Judge Everett told him both offences were a breach of trust and the latter theft from a colleague who considered him a friend was 'particularly mean' so close to Christmas.

The judge said no order he could make could 'possibly compensate' for the loss to the duke. 

Afterwards, Turner's relieved father Paul Turner, a painter and decorator, said: 'I got him that job. He is working with me now. We have got him back on the straight and narrow.'

Two other defendants, Kayleigh Gordon, 33, and Nathan Elliott, 30, also of Ellesmere Port, appeared alongside him in the dock accused of handling stolen goods. Both pleaded not guilty and were bailed pending a trial in December.