The son of former Blues and England footballer Trevor Francis has gone on trial accused of breaking into a cottage in the grounds of a mansion.
James Francis is alleged to have stolen a quantity of designer goods, including a pair of Jimmy Choo shoes, from the home of former Aston Villa star Lee Hendrie in the summer of 2011.
Francis, from Solihull, is also accused of stealing six souvenir football shirts, a set of golf clubs, sunglasses, a watch, and a Vertu mobile phone from the one-bedroom cottage in Rowington, Warwickshire.
Opening the case for the Crown at the start of what is expected to be a week-long trial, prosecutor Trevor Meegan claimed two thumb-prints matching James Francis were found on a door panel and one of four pieces of torn cardboard found inside the cottage.
Mr Meegan told a jury of six men and six women: "This case concerns a burglary of a small unoccupied cottage which was owned by a former professional footballer by the name of Lee Hendrie.
"The burglary occurred approximately two years ago and our case centres on the presence of two thumb-prints that were found at the scene of the crime."
Submitting that there was no innocent explanation for the presence of the thumb-prints, Mr Meegan told the court the burglary occurred while Mr Hendrie and his wife, Emma, were on holiday in Majorca.
The prosecutor added: "While they were away, their gardener discovered that a panel on the cottage door had been forced - it seems it looked like it had been kicked in."
The gardener subsequently informed the Hendries of what he had seen, and Mrs Hendrie found a large quantity of property had been taken after returning from her holiday on August 2, 2011.
