ANTIQUES, paintings and silver stolen during burglaries in various parts of Ireland were found in September, 1994, when police in London stopped and searched the car of a Belfast restaurateur, a Belfast court heard yesterday.
Among the items found was a painting by John Russell, valued at £25,000, which is now in the National Gallery in Dublin for safekeeping. Also in Mr Jean Marie Delbart's car was an 18th century Irish card table worth some £7,000 stolen from Castletown House in Co Kildare in May 1994, and the property of the Irish Georgian Society.
Mr Delbart (46), a Frenchman, of Rugby Road, who was connected with the popular La Boheme and La Belle Epoque restaurants in Belfast, is on trial at Belfast Crown Court accused of receiving stolen goods. He denies a total of seven charges involving articles valued at nearly £60,000.
The jury heard that following his arrest Mr Delbart's Belfast home was searched and further items discovered.
The burglaries had taken place in Wicklow, Waterford and Omagh, Co Tyrone, among other places, between July and September 1994.
Crown counsel Mr Ken McMahon QC, said Mr Delbart claimed he had bought the items from travellers. He had no receipts of the cash transactions, and still owed these people money. The lawyer added Mr Delbart said he had bought £40,000 worth from them, but was unable to contact them.
When questioned later by the RUC he said he was in London to sell the silver, where he could get a better price.
The trial continues.