Fraudster who betrayed ex-Premier League star misses court docket with ‘fractured skull’ declare
Edgar Davids trust was broken when the ex-Premier League star asked Nabila Habiby to put his £188,000 art collection in storage but she instead pawned it as she misses her sentencing again
Nabila Habiby has missed another sentencing hearing(Image: Metropolitan Police)
The sentencing of a fraudster who pawned ex-Premier League star Edgar Davids’ art collection has been delayed again after she claimed to have suffered a fractured skull.
Nabila Habiby, 39, faces a possible jail sentence for disposing of Davids’ £188,000 painting and works of art more than a decade ago. The former Spurs and Ajax midfielder trusted Habiby, who he considered to be a friend, to put his possessions in storage during a move from Barnet to central London in 2014.
Instead, Habiby pawned paintings by artists Paul Insect and Ron English to obtain loans, and the art was then sold off when she failed to repay the money. Habiby pleaded guilty in September 2025 to two counts of fraud.
Edgar Davids trusted her to put his collection in storage (Image: Getty Images)
On September 4, she missed her planned sentencing hearing when Wood Green Crown Court was told she had not made her flight to the UK from Belgium after being hit on the head by a piece of luggage.
Today (September 23), the delayed sentencing hearing was adjourned once more after the judge was told Habiby had been hit by the tailgate of a car, rather than some luggage, and now says she is being treated for a fractured skull.
Judge Alexander Jacobs said he excused Habiby from attending court on Wednesday after being told she has a medical appointment in Belgium, but expressed scepticism about a purported doctor’s note provided to her lawyers.
“It is not on headed notepaper, it could have been typed by absolutely anyone,” he said. “This is a fraud case. Is she really ill?”
Davids played for Tottenham during his spell in the Premier League(Image: ODD ANDERSEN/AFP via Getty Images)
Habiby’s barrister, Adithi Shenava, said Habiby appears to be “very sick” when spoken to on the phone, and told the court: “We don’t have any doubt she is telling the truth.”
Habiby says she has surgery planned for October 6 and Judge Jacobs adjourned the sentencing hearing to November 18.
He also insisted on receiving a formal doctor’s note on headed notepaper and suggested Belgian police may be called on to “investigate the veracity of the documents that have been coming from the defendant”.
He added: “I’m sorry if I am sounding sceptical, this might be unfair and this might be just another very unfortunate accident. But we do need to progress this case and she can’t put off the inevitable day forever.”
When the judge finally passes sentence, it will be more than five years after Habiby was first charged.
