"Nabila Habiby, 39, secured loans amounting to 31,500 against 37 paintings and artworks. She gained access to Mr Davids' home in Hadley Wood, Hertfordshire, after he entrusted her with his property and keys. The renowned footballer, who enjoyed a trophy-laden career with the Netherlands, Ajax, Juventus, and Tottenham, discovered his art collection was missing when pieces were auctioned by pawnbrokers, with one even surfacing in Hong Kong."
"Ms Habiby pleaded guilty last September to two counts of fraud and has been warned she could face a prison sentence of up to 34 months. But her sentencing hearing was delayed after she mounted a bid to withdraw the guilty pleas, arguing she had not understood what she was admitting and felt under pressure to confess to the crimes. Habiby also put forward emails she says are newly unearthed and came from Mr Davids, where it is suggested he told her to get rid of the paintings."
"Prosecutor Mark Seymour told a hearing at Wood Green Crown Court there was no proof that the emails were genuine and argued there is an obvious likelihood these are emails which have been falsified. Habiby argued that she had misunderstood the elements of the criminal offences, had struggled to hear from the dock and complained about a hectic day in court with Tube strikes and a journalist sitting in the public gallery. She insisted the new emails were genuine and provided her with a viable defence at trial."
"Judge Tim Godfrey rejected Habiby's bid to withdraw her guilty pleas, pointing out she had refused to allow examination of her discussions with her lawyers and there was real doubt as to the authenticity of the new emails. I found Ms Habiby's evidence in court to be altogether vague, evasive and unworthy of"
A wealth manager, Nabila Habiby, pleaded guilty to fraud charges after pawning Edgar Davids’ modern art collection worth about 188,000. She obtained loans totaling 31,500 against 37 paintings and artworks after Davids entrusted her with access to his home and keys. Davids discovered the collection was missing when pieces were auctioned by pawnbrokers, including one that appeared in Hong Kong. Habiby sought to withdraw her guilty pleas, claiming she did not understand what she was admitting and felt pressured to confess. She also presented emails she said were newly found and allegedly instructed her to dispose of the paintings. Prosecutors argued there was no proof the emails were genuine and suggested they may have been falsified. Judge Tim Godfrey rejected the request, citing refusal to allow examination of her discussions with lawyers and doubts about the emails’ authenticity.
Read at www.independent.co.uk
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