A serial burglar scaled walls to get inside Simon Cowell’s luxury mansion to steal jewellery worth almost £1 million from an open safe as The X Factor supremo and his family slept, a court has heard.

It is alleged Darren February, who denies the charge, targeted the music mogul’s property in Holland Park, but was spotted making off by a private security guard who was patrolling the area overnight.

At the time of the break-in at around 1.30am on December 4 2015, Cowell, also a judge on Britain's Got Talent, was asleep with his partner, Lauren Silverman, their toddler son, Eric, and the child’s nanny was also at the property.

The safe, inside a wardrobe in a bedroom, had been left open as Ms Silverman was due to fly out the next morning, jurors were told as the trial opened at Isleworth Crown Court on Wednesday February 22.

February, 34, forced his way into the house through a rear floor patio door, having first tried the front door in an attempt described as “a bit ambitious” by prosecutor Denis Barry.

Mr Barry said: “He (Mr Cowell) gives evidence that the items stolen were worth £950,000.

"He was at home on the December 4 2015 together with his partner and child, the nanny and the security officer downstairs.”

As he made off from the burglary the defendant is said to have dropped a passport and some of the jewellery, having been approached by security worker M’Batonha Mendes, the court heard.

A second passport was later found at a refuse facility and handed to police.

The jury will hear, Mr Barry added, from two scientific experts, about DNA found on gloves that the prosecution say were worn by the defendant and discarded on his escape route from the crime.

Mr Barry, who described how it had been raining earlier that night, said: “When the gloves were found it was striking that they were dry because if they had been left there for some time they would be drenched, the prosecution say.”

The trial is taking place at Isleworth Crown Court

A handprint was also found on a wall outside the property as, the prosecution suggest, he stopped to take a short break.

Mr Barry said: “It would appear from the CCTV that the burglar is catching his breath because he had to shimmy over lots of different walls to get in to the premises and around the premises.”

February, who has dozens of convictions for burglary, was also later identified by two police officers who studied CCTV footage, Mr Barry said.

He added: “Mr February over a few years has committed a total of 37 burglaries and what is more relevant, he has committed a total of 37 burglaries, most of which are in this area. These areas are some of the more wealthy areas in London.”

February, of no fixed address, denies one count of burglary.

The trial is expected to last a week.

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