A MILLIONAIRE property mogul received kidnap threats against his children in the months before his mansion was burgled, a court heard.

Toby Whittaker, 32, of Back Lane, Read, invested in a £25,000 top-of-the-range security system to protect his family after thugs sent him pictures of his four young children's school, his house, and his father's, solicitor's and accountant's houses, along with kidnap threats.

Whittaker is accused of conspiracy to defraud and fraud in relation to alleged falsified burglar alarm records and an insurance claim in the wake of the £400,000 raid in December 2008.

He denies changing his story to say a £120,000 diamond-encrusted Rolex Oyster Perpetual was kept in a safe and also denies conspiring with burglar alarm company owner Stefan Halenko, to provide Zurich insurance with false documents showing the alarm had been set.

Whittaker, the son of a former Blackburn police officer, took to the stand at Preston Crown Court and explained he had made his money in the buy-to-let market during the property boom.

But he said after receiving the threats he told Mr Halenko he wanted 'as good a system as he could get'.

He disputed prosecution evidence that he and his wife of six years Jennifer had told officers at the scene that the alarm wasn't set.

“The only time I would not have set the alarm was if we took the dogs for a walk around the grounds for 10 or 15 minutes or maybe if I nipped to the shop during the day.

“Every time we leave the house my wife asks me two questions which irritate me and they are 'GSM?' – got some money, and 'have you set the alarm?'

Whittaker broke down in tears as he recalled the conversation with his wife and two officers soon after they returned home to their burgled manor house.

“My wife was crying on the settee saying 'you haven't set the alarm'. I said I had set it but it hadn't worked.

“One officer said we wouldn't be covered by the insurance and I told him not to worry about because I had good insurance.”

The trial is expected to conclude today.

Masked men raid luxury home of Read businessman

Read businessman 'lied to claim insurance on £120,000 Rolex'

Detectives broke rules, trial of Read man told