Businessman avoids jail for conspiring to sell £4.8m stolen gold toilet from Blenheim Palace

Frederick Doe, the son of a multimillionaire caravan magnate and associated with legitimate business contacts in London's Hatton Garden, received a 21-month suspended sentence for his involvement in attempting to sell part of a £4.75 million solid gold toilet stolen from Blenheim Palace in 2019. The golden toilet, artwork titled 'America' by Maurizio Cattelan, was stolen in an audacious five-minute raid involving a gang of five men. Doe was convicted of conspiracy to convert or transfer criminal property after helping James Sheen, a family friend and one of the burglars, connect with potential buyers, although he did not financially benefit from the sale. The court accepted that Doe, a father of four and boxing club founder, was of good character and had been exploited due to his legitimate business connections. The judge described Doe's actions as 'foolish' but noted his limited role and lack of personal gain, sentencing him to unpaid community work alongside the suspended jail term. The stolen toilet has never been recovered, and the attempted sale collapsed before completion.