A story few saw coming. Three decades after Gino D’Acampo was jailed for burglarizing Paul Young’s home, the singer has finally spoken about forgiveness. What changed after all these years? And how did a moment from the past resurface to spark fresh conversation today? The unexpected reconciliation is leaving fans stunned.
Paul Young Forgives Gino D’Acampo — 30 Years After Shocking Burglary Conviction
Nearly 30 years after his London home was targeted in a burglary, Paul Young has revealed that he has long since forgiven the man responsible — TV chef Gino D’Acampo.
The singer explained that, despite the shocking break-in during the late 1990s, he has since crossed paths with Gino and insists there is no lingering bitterness between them.
Back in 1998, Gino was a struggling 21-year-old waiter. He broke into Paul’s home and left with several deeply personal items, including a £4,000 guitar collection, priceless recordings that captured the voice of Paul’s late wife Stacey, and even a platinum record. He was jailed for two years.
Although the theft cut deeply, Paul later managed to recover most of the stolen property. Speaking last year, he shared that he now believes in forgiveness above all else.
He said that whenever he appeared at ITV studios, staff sometimes warned him that Gino was nearby. While production teams appeared keen to keep them apart, the pair still crossed paths on occasion.
“I’d just say, ‘Oh, hi, how are you?’” Paul recalled. “Everything’s fine between us. I really do believe in forgiveness.”
When questioned about the more recent controversies surrounding the celebrity chef — including allegations of inappropriate behaviour, which Gino denies — Paul chose not to be drawn into the debate. Instead, he simply wished him well.
“We all make mistakes,” he said. “I got most of my things back, and I hope he comes through this alright.”
Paul admitted, however, that the emotions surrounding the burglary have never been straightforward. Following the death of his wife Stacey from brain cancer in 2018, memories of the items he never recovered came flooding back.
“There were certain pieces of music I never got back,” he said quietly. “That still hurts.”
Portable speakers
Gino, now 49, has repeatedly described the burglary as a “serious mistake” and has spoken openly about how his time in prison forced him to change his life.
He once said the experience pushed him to pursue his culinary career and to become a better man, adding that he hopes his story can inspire others to turn their lives around.
Paul has also confirmed that Gino personally contacted him to apologise.
“I don’t hold it against him,” Paul previously said. “He owned up, he said sorry, and I did get most of my stuff back. Maybe he needed that wake-up call — and he got it.”
