Robber held knife to Cavendish's throat - wife

A masked intruder dragged the elite cyclist Mark Cavendish by his feet and held a "Rambo-style" knife to his throat, his wife has told trial.

Prosecutors have said men in balaclavas broke into the family home in Ongar, Essex, on 27 November 2021.

Two suspects deny two counts of robbery at Chelmsford Crown Court.

Mr Cavendish's wife Peta, giving evidence at the trial, described the incident as "everyone's worst nightmare".

Ms Cavendish said she was naked in bed when she was woken by a noise downstairs.

"As I got a few steps down the stairs I could hear men speaking, but it was still dark," said Ms Cavendish, who said she then saw "men's figures in balaclavas" who then ran "towards the bottom of the stairs".

She described how the suspects followed her into the bedroom, where they "dragged" her husband "from his feet and started punching him".

"One of the men then had him in a headlock," she said.

"One of them held a large black knife to his throat and they said 'where's the watches' and 'do you want me to stab you?'."

Ms Cavendish said they were "very specific about a watch" before finding the two watches on a windowsill and on a bedside table.

Romario Henry, 31, of Bell Green, Lewisham, south east London and 28-year-old Oludewa Okorosobo, of Flaxman Road, Camberwell, south London, both deny two counts of robbery.

Jurors have been told that Ali Sesay, 28, of Holding Street, Rainham, Kent, admitted two counts of robbery at an earlier hearing.

The trial is expected to conclude by the end of this week.