Essex Police warn wanted Cavendish suspects: "You can only hide so long"

Manx cyclist reflects on robbery urging 'appropriate sentence' for two convicted

Police in Essex who are still hunting for two men they believe were involved in an armed robbery at a Manx cyclist’s home have warned them: "You can only hide for so long."

Officers there are still searching for Jo Jobson and George Goddard – they say they believe the actions they are responsible for 'cannot go unpunished'.

This week the Cavendish family saw 31-year-old Romario Henry, of Bell Green in London, found guilty of two counts of robbery after a trial.

Ali Sesay, who is 28-years-old and from Windsor Road in Croydon, had already admitted the same offences.

Both men – who broke into the Cavendish’s family home in Essex on 27 November 2021 - will be sentenced on 7 February at Chelmsford Crown Court.

Cavendish, and his wife Peta, were in bed at the time of the robbery – the cyclist was assaulted a number of times and threatened.

The intruders stole a designer suitcase and two high value watches; one of the men also stole phones belonging to the couple.

Following the culmination of the trial the Olympic athlete, who rode for the Isle of Man in last year’s Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, said he wouldn’t let the incident 'define his family'.

In a statement released by the couple they said reliving the experience had been an ‘incredibly difficult experience’ adding it was something ‘that no family should ever have to go through’.

"Although nothing can ever erase what our family went through there is now some comfort that two men who broke into our family home and stole from us, assaulted Mark and terrified our children are now convicted and will be facing what we hope will be an appropriate sentence for their actions and we hope moves some steps in preventing this horror happening to another innocent family.

"We have worked and continue to work incredibly hard as a family to move on from that night, as best we can, to make it a distant memory.

"It has been immensely difficult, and in fact there have been times when it has felt impossible, but we will not let this event and these men’s actions define our family.

"We are moving forward together as a family." - Peta and Mark Cavendish

Detective Inspector Tony Atkin, of Loughton CID, led the investigation and said: "This was a traumatic incident made all the worse by the fact that it happened in the presence of the couple’s young children. 

"The bravery the family has shown in the face of this incident has been humbling.

Essex Police say they won’t stop as there are still two men who they want to speak to about this investigation who remain outstanding.

DI Atkin continued: “Jo Jobson and George Goddard are those men.

“Although I can’t go into significant detail, we are following a number of lines of enquiry in order to locate them. 

"The actions we believe they are responsible for cannot go unpunished.

"I would like to appeal to Jo Jobson and to George Goddard to hand themselves in. 

"If not I will say this: we will pursue you. It is in your interests to hand yourselves in. You can only hide for so long."

Detective Superintendent Bonnie Moore added: "Incidents such as this are among the most violating crimes and we work incredibly hard in Essex in order to identify robbers and burglars, arrest them and put them before the courts.

"To the Cavendish family, thank you for trusting us to achieve justice for you. 

"I cannot imagine the trauma that you have been through, but I sincerely hope that these convictions are of some comfort."