This archive report was first published on 10 November 2019.
On 25 July, Arsenal footballers Mesut Özil and Sead Kolasinac were targeted by two masked attackers in Hampstead, north-west London. The would-be robbers, armed with a 10-12 inch long screwdriver and a smaller instrument, attempted to steal luxury watches worth £200,000.
However, Kolasinac bravely fought off the attackers, chasing them off with the help of Özil. The players managed to flee but their vehicle suffered significant damage due to stones thrown at it.
Ashley Smith, 30, of Archway in north London, has been jailed for 10 years at Harrow Crown Court for his role in the robbery. Smith was described by Judge Ian Bourne QC as a prolific “career criminal” with an appalling criminal record of 20 convictions from 38 offences dating back to when he was 14 years old.
Smith was out on licence for a 42-month sentence for burglary in 2017 when he tried to rob the Arsenal duo. His accomplice, Jordan Northover, 26, has also admitted his role in the robbery and will be sentenced at a later date.
Smith was ordered to pay a £181 victim surcharge as part of his sentence.
On the day of the attack, CCTV footage showed Kolasinac fighting off the two knife-wielding men. The incident led to Kolasinac and Özil being left out of the Arsenal side ahead of the opening weekend of the Premier League campaign.
