Andy Carroll watch robbery accused 'hid under mattress'

A man accused of attempting to rob Premier League footballer Andy Carroll of his £22,000 watch hid under a mattress when police arrived to arrest him, a court has heard.

The West Ham player, who has nine England caps, told Basildon Crown Court he was returning home from training when he was chased by two motorcyclists on 2 November 2016.

Jack O'Brien, 22, was arrested 10 days after the alleged attempted robbery.

Mr O'Brien denies attempted robbery.

Prosecutor Simon Gladwell said police arrested Mr O'Brien at a house in Dagenham, where they found him in the front bedroom "hiding in the bed frame under the mattress".

Mr Gladwell said police seized a crash helmet and Ducati jacket at the east London property and a Suzuki motorbike was seized from the back garden.

"The motorcycle used in the alleged attempted robbery was the same motorcycle that was seized at the time of Jack O'Brien's arrest," he added.

The court heard that the rider of the bike used in the alleged attempted robbery wore the same crash helmet and jacket seized at the time of Mr O'Brien's arrest.

Mr Gladwell said Mr O'Brien had pleaded guilty to a string of burglaries in October and November 2016 in April, in which items including jewellery, watches and cash were stolen.

"At the time of each of the burglaries Jack O'Brien used the same motorcycle that was used in the attempted robbery of Andy Carroll," said Mr Gladwell.

He added that in each of the burglaries Mr O'Brien also used the same crash helmet and jacket worn by the biker in the attempted robbery of Mr Carroll.

Michael Edmonds, defending, said Mr O'Brien, of Navarre Gardens, Romford, east London, was not the biker.

He said Mr O'Brien had used the motorcycle, jacket and helmet for crime before, but that it was he was not using the bike on that occasion.

The trial continues.