A bizarre burglary at the London studio of famed artist Damien Hirst has landed a former railway worker behind bars, with more court dates looming. Leslie Gomm, 61, has admitted to handling stolen goods, while his son, Liam Gomm, 36, faces charges for allegedly breaking into Hirst’s Thames Wharf studio in Hammersmith.
The haul included £400,000 worth of designer clothing and musical equipment personally created by Hirst, but notably, none of his celebrated artworks were taken.
Neighbors say the thief walked right past the priceless pieces, targeting jackets, T-shirts, jeans, and a set of high-tech speakers instead.
The Items Taken and the Unusual Choice
Among the stolen items were twelve specially adapted jackets, unique T-shirts, and designer jeans, all conceived by Hirst himself.
Interestingly, it appears the burglars deliberately ignored the multimillion-pound art pieces.
One local resident told MailOnline: “We heard they went in around the 30th, but quite amusingly, the rumour is they didn’t take any artwork.
Whoever it was just went straight past invaluable art and made off with thousands in clothes.”
Leslie Gomm, from Fulham, appeared at Isleworth Crown Court via video link from HMP Wandsworth to confirm his personal details.
His son Liam is scheduled to face a plea and trial preparation hearing at Kingston Crown Court on September 19.
Liam has claimed he was asleep and had no knowledge of the burglary.
Legal Proceedings and Defense
Prosecutor Ravinder Johal highlighted that developments in the case now involve both father and son, with Leslie having handled the stolen items between June 29 and July 8.
Samir Pasha, Leslie Gomm’s defense lawyer, noted that some of the stolen items may not have been as valuable as initially thought.
“One of Mr Hirst’s designers said most of these items were work in progress, so the items stolen may not have had as much value,” Pasha explained.
Judge Edward Connell remanded Leslie in custody, and both he and Liam are expected to appear at Kingston Crown Court on September 19.
Damien Hirst’s Legacy Remains Untouched
While this burglary may have targeted his clothing and gear, Hirst’s iconic artworks remain secure.
The Turner Prize-winning artist rose to fame in the 1990s alongside peers like Tracey Emin, with his work championed by influential collector Charles Saatchi.
Hirst’s portfolio includes some of the most talked-about pieces in contemporary art, such as The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living, a tiger shark preserved in formaldehyde, and Lullaby Spring, a cabinet holding 6,136 individually painted pills, which sold for £15 million in 2007.
Despite the burglary, his multimillion-pound art empire remains intact.