Prosecutors have called for two Londoners to be banned from Switzerland for five years for their role in the theft of Chinese Ming Dynasty artefacts from a museum. Marco Rossier called for the punishment to be inflicted on top of four-year jail sentences for Stewart and Louis Ahearne, at the Palais de Justice in Geneva, on Monday.
The brothers, aged 43 and 33, will hear their sentences on Tuesday, after they confessed to being part of a plot to steal from The Baur Foundation Museum of Far Eastern Art in June 2019.
The brothers, and a third man named in court as Daniel Kelly, took two 14th Century bowls and a vase, worth £2.87 million.
One of the bowls was sold at a Hong Kong auction house while the vase was eventually found in central London.
Mr Rossier said that all three men were “equally involved” in the burglary, during which the group allegedly smashed a pane on the front door and shattered a display case.
The court heard that Louis Ahearne carried out reconnaissance of the museum, booked the hotel room they used and organised the ski masks and clothing they wore.
Meanwhile, his older brother hired a Renault Captur car out in his name which they used to drive to and from the scene of the crime, Mr Rossier said.
"Everything was prepared and organised, everything was very quick,” he added.
Stewart Rossier said he takes “full responsibility” for the crime and added that he wants to “protect” his younger sibling.
Louis Rossier claimed he took part in the burglary to “clear a debt” but Loris Bertoliatti, representing the museum, rejects this version of events, insisting “they are a professional gang”.
He said: “They were determined to sell the items. The victim is the museum. Lots of people were shocked by what happened.”
Kelly is currently the subject of extradition proceedings in Japan.
Defence lawyers for the Ahearnes, from south-east London, will lay out their case before a judgement is delivered.
