'It changed everything': Kim Kardashian arrives at Paris court to give evidence in $10m 'grandpa robbers' burglary case

By Shannon Cook

Kim Kardashian has arrived at court to give evidence in £10m Paris burglary case undertaken by 'grandpa robbers'.

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The reality TV star arrived the Palais de Justice court dressed in a black suit jacket with padded shoulders and a long black skirt.

She was accompanied by her mother and 'momager', Kris Jenner.

The KIMS business owner, 44, will provide evidence in relation to the burglary that took place in October 2016.

The Keeping Up With The Kardashians star was allegedly held at gunpoint and had millions of dollars' worth of jewellery stolen when she was staying at a luxury suite during Paris Fashion Week.

Ten people are on trial.

Kim addressed the court at the stand: "Hi. I'm Kim Kardashian and I just want to thank everyone, especially the French authorities for allowing me to be here and testify today and allowing me to share my truth."

She tells the court that she used to soak up the "magic" of the Parisian city, often stopping in "little hotels for hot chocolate" before the incident.

The star explains that she always felt "really safe".

She continued: "But when I came for Fashion Week during that trip, it changed everything."

The influencer says her sister, friend and mum were out for the night.

"We were leaving the next morning and I was just packing up, at 03:00 I was just getting ready to go to bed."

She heard noises on the stairs and called for her sister but heard no response.

Two people entered the room who she thought might have been "police officers".

She describes how the night receptionist, Abderrahmane Ouatiki, was brought upstairs in handcuffs.

"I obviously was very confused when they first walked in - I had to make sense of what was happening... I was just about to fall asleep," she told the court.

She asked Mr Ouatiki if he knew what was going on but he said he didn't - adding that this response "confused me a bit more - not understanding if he was a part of this or he wasn't".

Earlier today, Kim Kardashian's stylist appeared in court as a witness in £10m Paris burglary case undertaken by 'grandpa robbers'.

Kim's stylist and celebrity designer, Simone Harouche, was in the apartment at the time of the burglary.

Ms Harouche tells the court of the horrifying ordeal where she heard Kim 'plead for her life' and heard screams of "terror".

The stylist defended Kim for showing her jewellery to her social media following, insisting that this shouldn't make the star "a target".

Ms Harouche says she ran to the bathroom and hid in the shower - from there, she texted Kim's bodyguard who was with another Kardashian at a nightclub.

The celebrity stylist heard Kim shout her name and she saw her come into her room with her mouth taped shut.

The reality star was only wearing a robe.

Ms Harouche feared the SKIMS owner had been sexually assaulted.

A $4m (£2.9m) diamond engagement ring from Kim's former husband Kanye West was reportedly among the stolen gems.

Ms Harouche had been left so scarred by the incident that she has since changed careers. She also adds that she is sensitive to loud noises.

She says her and Kim have had to attend therapy.

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'Complete terror'

On Monday, witness Abderrahmane Ouatiki - the receptionist who says he was taken to Kardashian's hotel suite to translate the burglars' demands, said the influencer was "completely hysterical" and "in a state of complete terror".

He said a "very nervous" man pointed a gun at Kim.

Mr Ouatiki said he "was very aggressive and she was utterly terrified."

He said he was also scared as the burglar was acting erratic and was irritated by the star's screaming.

Three people kept watch in a central Paris hotel - Hotel de Pourtalès - while two other men forced Mr Ouatiki to take them to Kim's suite. Here, they preceded to demand she hand over the ring and stole other jewels worth a total of $9m.

The men were arrested three months later alongside several other people believed be accessories to the crime.

'Grandpa robbers'

Twelve were expected to appear in court - however, one died in March and another has been excused due to health reasons.

Among the remaining 10 - all but two deny their involvement in the burglary.

The jewels were never recovered - police believe they were cut up and stolen.

French media have called the defendants "grandpa robbers" due to their age - several are in their 70s. Meanwhile many are suffering with serious health problems and one is undergoing chemotherapy.

Aomar Ait Khedache, 68, the alleged ringleader, is deaf and mute. He had to write his answers down with a pen and paper projected onto a screen.

The lead investigator of the Brigade de Répression du Banditisme (Banditry Repression Brigade) special unit said the defendants "may have made mistakes but they were still a decent team."

Referring to the way burglars tied up Kim's feet and ankles with cable ties and taped her mouth, used burner phones and took a car to a park near the scene, the investigator said this was "well done".

"They pulled it off, because they managed to flog the goods and palm off a $4m ring in Antwerp, which isn't that easy."

'Traumatised'

The reality TV star believed she was going to be sexually assaulted during the crime.

Speaking in an emotional interview in 2020, she said she thought "this is the time I'm going to get raped."

She described being terrified for her life and for her sister, Kourtney Kardashian, who was out.

The business magnate said: "I'm gonna be dead in the room and she's gonna be traumatised for the rest of her life."

The burglars took the ring and various other jewels, phone and €1,000 in cash and absconded.

Kim was able to untie herself and escape, with her bodyguard arriving shortly afterwards.

Mr Ouatiki - an Algerian national - says he was subject to suspicion from the media that he was involved in the crime against the reality TV star.

He told the court this was "very heavy to bear".