Man charged with robbery after burglary at Mark Cavendish’s Ongar home

Mark Cavendish was recovering from a punctured lung when he was attacked (Credit: Antoine Blondin)

A man’s been charged with robbery by officers investigating a burglary at the Ongar home of an Olympic cyclist.

Four armed men entered Mark Cavendish’s home and attacked him at around 2.35am on Saturday, 27 November. 

The attackers also threatened his wife while their children watched on.

Romario Henry, of Bell Green, Lewisham is due to appear in court today following his arrest on Saturday, 18 December.

The 30-year-old has been charged with two counts of robbery.

Two 27-year-old men, one from Gillingham and one from Camberwell, were also arrested last week.

The pair have been released on bail until mid-January.

None of the family suffered serious injuries during the burglary but Mr Cavendish was in the process of recovering from a punctured lung he suffered after crashing during a race.

The group stole a Louis Vuitton suitcase and two high-value watches.

In a statement released at the time, Cavendish said: “As I’m sure you will understand, this incident has left our family extremely distressed – not just myself and Peta but our children as well, who feared for their lives and are now struggling with the after-effects.”

“No one should have to experience the sort of violence and threats made against us, let alone this happening in a family home – a place where everyone should feel safe.

“The items taken are simply material goods and our priority at the moment is to make sure we all recover from the incident as a family, and we know this is likely to take some time.

“We would like to place on record our thanks to Essex Police for a really quick response and the professionalism and the focus they are clearly putting into the investigation.”

Essex Police are continuing to appeal for information.

A spokesperson for Essex Police said: “Anyone who was in the Ongar area between 2am and 2.40am on 27 November and saw anybody acting suspiciously, or has any information that could help with our investigation, is asked to contact Loughton CID quoting reference 42/275184/21.”

“You can submit a report online or use the ‘Live Chat’ button to speak to an online operator between 7am-11pm.

“Alternatively, you can call 101.

“Information can also be given to independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online.”

For more on this story, and the latest on our other local and national news, listen to Time 107.5FM