Binman guilty in 'Posh Spice' case

Victoria Beckham spent over an hour in the witness box

LONDON, England -- A rubbish collector has been convicted of handling designer clothes and personal items stolen from Spice Girl singer Victoria Beckham.

A jury at Isleworth Crown Court, in west London, found 20-year-old Mark Oliver guilty of two charges of handling stolen goods, including a photograph of the star's husband -- footballer David Beckham -- and a lock of their son Brooklyn's hair.

An earlier charge that Oliver stole the items was dropped.

The court heard the defendant had telephone conversations with "Posh Spice" in which he said he found her possessions on a rubbish dump. He later claimed they had been put on the back of his refuse truck in bin liners.

The pop singer's luggage was stolen after she arrived back in London from Miami last April.

Inside four missing suitcases were designer-label clothes, such as Ralph Lauren, Plein Sud and DKNY, a treasured family photograph, a baby book and new song lyrics.

Beckham spent just over an hour in the witness box on Monday. She told the court Oliver had contacted a friend of hers to say he had found some of her things and wanted to return them to her.

The defendant left his mobile phone number and Beckham then contacted him.

He told the court he was very excited to receive a call from her.

"Victoria ringing me was a bit of a fairytale," he said. "You see her on television every day and don't expect her on your mobile."

Oliver made no comment after the verdict. He will be sentenced at a date yet to be fixed.

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Spice Girls

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