A 26-year-old man has been sentenced to five years in prison for a series of robberies and assaults outside Farringdon Tube station in London on November 4. Wasiu Smith, who was born in Nigeria and holds a Dutch passport, targeted four men in the space of one evening, stealing mobile phones, a work laptop, and a £600 family heirloom ring.
During the attacks, Smith repeatedly acted as if he was concealing a weapon in his pocket and threatened his victims. One of the victims, Alex Belsham-Harris, head of Energy Consumer Markets at Citizens Advice, was struck from behind as he left the gym and had his bag, containing his work laptop, stolen. He reported feeling dizzy and disoriented after the assault.
Another victim, Bonny Wambulu, was confronted outside his office and told not to move, with Smith demanding money. Alexander Burgess was robbed of an opal ring he had just had repaired after Smith made threatening gestures. The fourth victim, Michael Evesque, a managing director at lighting company Bert Frank, was blocked by Smith on the pavement.
Police apprehended Smith on a bus shortly after the incidents. He was found with the stolen property and a quantity of crack cocaine. During questioning, Smith made several claims, including that the stolen items were his, that he had been attacked by others, and that the drugs were planted. He also claimed he had traveled to the area from Canary Wharf to see Christmas lights, despite the lights not yet being switched on.
Smith's defense argued there could be an innocent explanation for him keeping a hand in his pocket, suggesting it might have been cold. However, the judge dismissed this, noting that people do not typically rob others with a hand in their pocket. The court heard that Smith claimed to suffer from various medical conditions, including partial blindness, a brain injury, ADHD, and PTSD, and suggested he might have been mistaken for someone else. The judge stated he could not trust Smith's account, as the jury had also not found his testimony credible, and found no evidence of psychiatric disorder.
Judge Charles Falk sentenced Smith to five years in prison for three counts of robbery, one count of attempted robbery, one count of common assault, and one count of possessing a Class A drug. The judge described Smith's actions as "out of control" and noted that the offences were committed to fund a drug habit. Smith has lived in the UK since 2019, having previously settled in Shropshire before moving to Walsall.