A YEAR after being charged, a Thurrock man has been cleared by a jury of involvement of the theft of a copy of an artwork by street artist Banksy.

In September last year Thurrock Nub News reported on the magistrates court appearance of James Love, 54, of North Stifford, who had been linked to the theft from a gallery by burglar Larry Fraser.

The allegation against Mr Love was that he had conspired and Fraser, 47, of Evelyn Denington Road, Beckton, in a raid on the Grove Gallery on New Cavendish Street in London which resulted in theft of a Banksy print called 'Girl with Balloon', valued at £270,000.

The work, called 'Girl with Balloon', is part of a series of paintings and stencils by the guerrilla artist and was the only item stolen. It has since been recovered thanks to help from Mr Love.

The piece was voted the nation's favourite artwork in 2017.

Mr Love, a builder, was accused of working with Fraser, who had pleaded guilty to theft ahead of Mr Love's trial.

Fraser had been was captured on CCTV smashing the glass front door of the gallery early on Sunday, 8 September last year and - in the space of 36 seconds – he took the print.

Mr Love was accused of being the getaway driver but said he had been used by Fraser. The 54-year-old was cleared of burglary at Kingston Crown Court on Friday (19 September), a year after his first court appearance.

Jurors heard Mr Love drove to the gallery on the morning of the burglary, was in regular contact with Fraser that day and helped to stash the print after it was stolen.

The court was shown CCTV of the defendant helping Fraser into a van with the artwork.

But giving evidence last week, Mr Love told jurors this was the first time he realised what Fraser had done.

The defendant told the court he was furious and later left the artwork at a block of flats in the Isle of Dogs, where police eventually found it with the help of a map and instructions given to them by Mr Love at his first court appearance.

He said he had known Fraser for about 20 years and would occasionally hire him for labouring jobs.