Davids Art Thief Absent From Court After Bag Mishap
Judge Emma Deacon KC said the court received inadequate medical evidence from Belgium and ordered Habiby to return for sentencing on 23 September.
- On Friday, Nabila Habiby failed to appear for sentencing at Wood Green Crown Court regarding fraud of Edgar Davids' £188,000 art collection, prompting the judge to adjourn the hearing.
- Habiby, a wealth manager, secured £31,500 in loans by pawning 37 artworks belonging to Davids after he entrusted her with his possessions during a December 2014 house move to central London.
- Defence barrister Hannah Thomas claimed Habiby was hit by luggage en route to the airport; Judge Emma Deacon KC deemed the medical evidence from Belgium "inadequate" to support the story.
- Judge Deacon ordered Habiby to attend sentencing on September 23 and mandated she provide a full medical report explaining her absence from Friday's hearing.
- Habiby admitted two fraud charges in September 2025 and faces up to 34 months in prison; sentencing was previously delayed in March after she unsuccessfully attempted to withdraw her guilty pleas.
11 Articles
11 Articles
Radio France Internationale
Edgar Davids art thief misses sentencing after being 'knocked out by luggage'
Nabila Habiby, 39, obtained £31,500 in loans by handing over 37 painting and works of art belonging to Davids, after the former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder had entrusted her to put his possessions in storage during a house move. Davids only realised his paintings had gone when Habiby defaulted on the loans, the pawn shops sold the art to collectors around the world, and one got in touch with Davids to ask about the history of the painting. Habi…
Fraudster who pawned ex-Premier League footballer's art collection misses sentencing after 'being hit by luggage'
A wealth manager who pawned ex-Premier League star Edgar Davids's £188,000 modern art collection has missed her sentencing - claiming she was hit on the head by luggage.
The Independent
The Independent (US)Edgar Davids art thief misses court after being ‘knocked out by luggage’
Nabila Habiby, 39, admitted two charges of fraud in September 2025 but has still not been sentenced
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