Emma O’Shea, a 46-year-old businesswoman, has denied charges related to an elaborate fraud scheme involving the burglary of her home, where rare diamonds worth £350,000, designer handbags, and cash were stolen in 2022.
O’Shea faces accusations of conspiring to commit fraud, perverting the course of justice, and attempting to intimidate witnesses in connection with the theft. She maintains her innocence.
The court heard that at the time of the burglary, O’Shea’s boyfriend, Dean Ryan, orchestrated the theft with the help of two accomplices. While O’Shea and Ryan were away from the property, the burglars carried out a “targeted burglary,” taking valuable items from her home.
However, after discovering the break-in, O’Shea noticed that a window had been left open, which could have jeopardized her insurance claim. She and Ryan were allegedly overheard by a housekeeper discussing how to smash the window to make it appear as though the burglars had forced entry.
In a further twist, O’Shea reportedly attempted to derail Ryan’s trial for burglary by traveling to Barbados and refusing to testify against him in court. She is also accused of intimidating the family of her housekeeper, who was expected to testify against Ryan.
O’Shea’s mother, 69-year-old Sarah O’Shea, is also facing charges of perverting the course of justice, accused of advising her daughter to remain in the Caribbean to avoid testifying.
The prosecution alleges that O’Shea tried to protect Ryan, refusing to believe he was behind the theft. Meanwhile, Matthew Lowden, 33, and Gary Cleeve, 45, who were allegedly involved in the burglary, are also facing charges of conspiracy to commit burglary, which they deny.
Ryan, who had moved into O’Shea’s townhouse in Southsea after they began a relationship in 2021, is at the center of the case. The burglary occurred on the afternoon of March 20, 2022, and was completed in just eight minutes.