A woman who claims she had an love affair with Michael Winner is facing jail today after admitting a violence robbery of the film director’s widow at her Knightsbridge home.
Gurgana Gueorguieva, 48, donned a disguise including a wig as she lay in wait for Geraldine Winner, stealing jewellery, art and cash worth up to £280,000 from her £4 million penthouse in October 2015.
Mrs Winner, then 77, said in the wake of the break-in that she had been blindfolded, her hands and feet had been bound, and she had been struck over the head with an iron bar by the intruder.
The pensioner, whose flamboyant husband died of cancer in 2013, suffered head injuries and a broken finger, and said she lost a host of items, some of deep sentimental value, including a heart-shaped diamond pendant and a painting of St Mark’s Basilica in Venice by the artist Franz Richard Unterberger.
At Southwark crown court this afternoon, Gueorguieva appeared in custody to plead guilty to one charge of robbery.
She had been quizzed over the raid back in 2016 but told a string of lies to police and was ultimately set free due to lack of evidence. However, she was arrested and charged with the raid last month after a break-through in the investigation.
The Bulgarian-British national, who has been living in France in recent years, claims to have been in a relationship with Mr Winner between 1999 and 2002.
CCTV from the Knightsbridge apartment block showed Gueorguieva, a personal trainer, entered at around 7pm on the night of the raid and not leaving until 1am the following morning.
An appeal on BBC’s Crimewatch for information revealed Mrs Winner had been ambushed at around 10pm when she opened her apartment front door to put some rubbish out. The pensioner says she was left tied up and blindfolded on her kitchen floor as Gueorguieva left the scene.
Prosecutor Obi Mgbokwere told the court it is said £280,000 of valuables were stolen, and £248,000-worth were recovered following Gueorguieva’s arrest.
However, defence barrister Patrick Evans said Gueorguieva’s disputes the figure, saying she only took items worth £50,000.
Mr Mgbokwere said Gueorguieva is also disputing “the injuries sustained by the complainant” and insists that any harm was caused accidentally. A hearing to decide these issues will take place on September 26, prior to sentencing.
Mrs Winner, who is now 81, is likely to be spared having to come to court for the hearing, but will be questioned about the raid over a videolink.
Gueorguieva, from Holland Park, pleaded guilty to robbery on October 9, 2015.
Judge Phillip Bartle QC remanded her in custody until the hearing in September.
