AN UNEMPLOYED man from Buckhurst Hill is to appear in court next week in connection with the theft of £4million worth of designer jewellery from Southend Airport.

Joseph Xenofondos, 34, of Loughton Way, has been charged along with two other men following the theft of 2,000 pieces of Cartier jewellery in May 2001.

Mr Xenofondos was arrested in June 2008 and is charged with one count of conspiracy to steal.

Also to face the court charged with conspiracy to steal is fellow unemployed man Marios Xenofondos, 38, of Summerford Grove in Stoke Newington.

Gary Maughan, a 43-year-old nurse from Queensbridge Road in Hackney, is charged with one count of conspiracy to steal and one count of handling stolen goods.

The trio, who are all currently on bail, are due to stand trial at Basildon Crown Court on Monday, October 26.