A WOMAN has denied handling a stolen wristwatch worth £30,000 belonging to the Duke of Westminster.

Kayleigh Gordon, 33, of Houghton Lane, Ellesmere Port was charged with handling stolen goods between August 7, 2022 and November 23, 2022, when she appeared at Chester Magistrates Court.

After the plea was entered, Andrew Madden for the prosecution said he had nothing to add at this stage.

Defence solicitor Chris Hunt for Gordon, who entered a not guilty plea, requested the case was linked up with that of co-accused Nathan Elliott.

Elliott, 30, of Faraday Road, Whitby, Ellesmere Port, denied the same charge of handling stolen goods – namely a Cartier London Tank JC Wristwatch worth £30,000 belonging to Hugh Grosvenor – at a hearing last month.

Both Gordon and Elliott will appear at Chester Crown Court next Friday, December 22 for a trial preparation hearing, after chair of the magistrates bench Peter Walsh sent the case up to be linked.

A third defendant, Matthew Paul Turner, 24, of Cartmel Drive, Great Sutton, pleaded guilty last month to stealing three watches from a bedroom at Eaton Hall, the country house of the Duke of Westminster Hugh Grosvenor, in an offence dated between August 7 and August 31, 2022.

He entered the plea at Chester Magistrates Court on Friday, November 24, and also admitted stealing £60 of cash after sneaking in to Top Gear Tyres on Rosscliffe Road, Ellesmere Port on December 23, 2022.

He is currently on unconditional bail and is to be sentenced at Chester Crown Court on December 22.