Mark Cavendish: Man admits robbing cyclist at Essex home

A man has admitted robbing Olympic and Tour de France cyclist Mark Cavendish and his wife Peta during a “distressing” raid at their home.

Ali Sesay, 28, of Rainham, east London, pleaded guilty to two counts of robbery at Chelmsford Crown Court.

He admitted stealing Mr Cavendish’s watch, phone and safe, and taking his wife’s watch, phone and suitcase.

Police said the couple were threatened at their house in the Ongar area of Essex at 02:35 GMT on 27 November.

Two other defendants from south-east London, Romario Henry, 31, and Oludewa Okorosobo, 28, deny two counts of robbery and are due to stand trial from 3 January.

Mr Henry, of Bell Green in Lewisham, and Mr Okorosobo, of Flaxman Road in Camberwell, were both remanded in custody at an earlier hearing.

Sesay had previously pleaded not guilty, but changed his pleas at the crown court hearing.

Judge Mary Loram QC remanded Sesay, of Holding Street, in custody and told him his sentencing would be adjourned until the outcome of the trial of the other two defendants.

Essex Police said no-one sustained serious injuries during the raid, but Mr Cavendish said in a statement that his family were “extremely distressed” and they had “feared for their lives”.

The force added that a Louis Vuitton suitcase and two high-value watches were stolen.

At the time of the incident, the cyclist was recovering from significant injuries he suffered in a crash in a track event in Belgium earlier that month.

The 37-year-old, originally from the Isle of Man, won four stages at last year’s Tour de France, equalling the tour record of 34 set by Belgian legend Eddy Merckx.

His best Olympic placing was winning silver in the omnium in the velodrome at Rio 2016 and he was the BBC Sports Personality of the Year winner in 2011.