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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
National
Pol Allingham

Two men deny burgling Spurs stadium while Beyonce performed to sold-out crowd

Beyonce on stage during the opening night of her Cowboy Carter tour - (Parkwood Entertainment/PA)

Two men accused of burgling Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as Beyonce performed to a sellout crowd have denied “any intent or involvement in criminal damage”.

Alirza Dag and Murat Kodalakoglu, both 23, allegedly accessed a VIP rooftop terrace at the north London venue.

They were also charged with causing £1,700 of damage to an electronic keypad used to access the terrace.

Dag admitted criminal damage to the door access control panel and his co-defendant pleaded not guilty to the same charge at Wood Green Crown Court on Thursday.

Alirza Dag leaving Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court in May (PA)
Alirza Dag leaving Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court in May (PA)

Defence lawyers Tetevi Davie and Anisa Kebbati, representing Dag and Kodalakoglu respectively, both said their clients had no intent to steal in relation to the burglary charges.

Ms Kebbati added: “(Kodalakoglu) denies any intent or involvement in criminal damage.”

Their trial was set for February 18, 2030 and, due to the length of time until that date, Judge Daniel Fugallo issued the sole bail condition of informing their solicitors within seven days if their address or contact number changes.

Spurs’ White Hart Lane stadium in London (PA)
Spurs’ White Hart Lane stadium in London (PA)

The prosecution claimed at a previous Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court hearing that the two men broke in “with intent to steal”.

The incident occurred on June 16 last year, on the final night of six sellout shows at Spurs’ ground for Beyonce’s Cowboy Carter world tour.

It is alleged Dag, from Tottenham, and Kodalakoglu, from Chelmsford, burgled Lilywhite House, which houses administration offices at the £1 billion stadium.

They are accused of cutting through wires on the electronic access panel, and gaining access to a balcony terrace which is usually only used by senior club executives.

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