Horrifying details of the home invasion and armed robbery of Mark Cavendish and his family in November 2021 were revealed at a court hearing this week.

Cavendish was threatened with a knife during the robbery and his wife Peta hid their three-year-old son under a futon during the ordeal, Chelmsford Crown Court heard on the first day of trial.

According to prosecutors, the intruders committed the robbery at his home in Essex and stole two Richard Mille watches worth £300,000 and £400,000.

Two defendants have denied two burglary charges, while a third has already pleaded guilty.

According to a report by the BBC (opens in new tab), prosecutor Edward Lemboise called the burglaries "a premeditated break-in at the home of a well-known individual with the intent to rob an expensive watch."

He further explained that Peta Cavendish heard men's voices from the kitchen of her home and that the suspects, armed with "big knives," followed Mark Cavendish to her bedroom before jumping on and beating him.

"Next she noticed a figure running toward her. She ran up the stairs and yelled for her husband to return to the bedroom."

"One produced a knife and threatened to stab him to death in front of the children," Renvoize added, noting that the three masked suspects told Cavendish to turn off the panic alarm.

The three then ordered Cavendish to open the safe, but the battery was flat and Cavendish told them the safe was empty after a previous robbery.

The group took two watches, the couple's cell phones, and a Louis Vuitton suitcase, and ordered them to open the gate to the house before leaving at 2:32 AM.

Cavendish's cell phone was later found outside the house. DNA from the phone matched Ali Sesay of Reynham, who pleaded guilty. Romario Henry of Lewisham and Oludewa Okorosovo of Camberwell denied the burglary charges.

The trial is expected to last two weeks.