Mayfair watch robbery trial: Defendant says he was threatened with fire

A man accused of robbing a fashion entrepreneur of a £137,000 watch in Mayfair said he was threatened with being set on fire if he refused to take part. Ali Eldahouzze, 22, told Southwark Crown Court that Younes Djoudi, who has already pleaded guilty to robbery, pressured him into joining the attack on 28 January.

Eldahouzze and Abdel El Habchi, 30, deny one count of robbery each. The trial heard that Catalin Botezatu was smoking a cigar outside Amazonico restaurant in Berkeley Square when three men approached him shortly before midnight. His Richard Mille watch was cut from his wrist, leaving cuts on his arm.

Threats and denial

Eldahouzze told jurors that Djoudi cursed his mother and threatened to kill him if he did not comply. He said, "He kept telling me to go and grab that thing. I didn’t understand what he meant because I’m Moroccan and I couldn’t understand exactly what he meant." Eldahouzze claimed he fled as soon as he saw Djoudi attacking Mr Botezatu.

Prosecutor Arizuna Asante said the three men surrounded Mr Botezatu, with Eldahouzze pushing him and grabbing his arm while Djoudi used a knife to cut the watch strap. Eldahouzze denied any physical contact, insisting he ran away as soon as the robbery began.

What happens next

El Habchi, a social media influencer in Morocco, told the court he and Eldahouzze were travelling from Slough to Soho when Eldahouzze received a call from Djoudi instructing them to meet in Mayfair. He claimed he had no prior knowledge of the robbery plan.

The trial is expected to continue at Southwark Crown Court, though no date has been set for closing statements or a verdict. Djoudi, who pleaded guilty, will be sentenced after the trial concludes.