Three men who robbed an A-list fashion designer of his £170,000 diamond encrusted watch as he smoked a cigar outside a Mayfair restaurant have been jailed.
Catalin Botezatu had major cancer surgery on his heart and feared for his life when he was attacked by Moroccans Ali Eldahouzze, 22, and Abdel El Habchi, 30, outside the Latin American restaurant Amazonico in Berkeley Square on January 28.
The fashion designer, who has worked for Versace, was restrained by the pair while Algerian Younes Djoudi, 34, ripped the Richard Mille from his wrist.
Prosecutor Arizuna Asante said at Southwark Crown Court: 'At the time of the robbery he felt alarmed and stressed. Even the softest of punches could have put his life in danger. This was a terrifying ordeal for him.'
Eldahouzze and El Habchi, both aided by Arabic interpreters, denied robbery but were convicted by the jury. Djoudi admitted the charge. The trio were jailed for a combined total of more than 14 years.
El Habchi, a Moroccan social media influencer who is also a security guard, previously claimed he had absolutely no idea that a robbery was about to take place.
Videos on his social media accounts show him in uniform and suggest he has previously worked as a guard at supermarket Sainsbury's.
Eldahouzze previously claimed Djoudi had threatened to 'set me on fire' if he did not snatch the watch, but he still said he refused.
Algerian Younes Djoudi, 34, ripped the Richard Mille from the vitim's wrist while the pair attacked him. He was also jailed.
Abdel El Habchi, 30, , was jailed after attacking Catalin Botezatu outside the Latin American restaurant Amazonico in Berkeley Square on January 28
Moroccans Ali Eldahouzze, 22, was also involved in the attack and jailed
Catalin Botezatu (pictured) was robbed of his £170,000 Richard Mille watch as he smoked a cigar outside a Mayfair restaurant
He told jurors he has two million followers on Facebook, 350,000 on Instagram, and 95,000 on TikTok, where he livestreams himself going around London.
Police later found incriminating messages on Eldahouzze's phone, including a picture of the stolen watch.
Judge Dafna Spiro said: 'You each fall to be sentenced for a single offence of robbery of a high-value watch committed on 28 January 2026 in Berkeley Square, Mayfair. The victim was a prominent fashion designer, Catalin Botezatu.
'This was a serious offence. It was planned and premeditated. The involvement of all three defendants continued after the robbery. They reunited a couple of hours later in Slough, then travelled together to a block of flats in North London where they remained for some hours.
'The victim was approached and overpowered by all three defendants. He was forced into railings, restrained and deprived of his watch by the use of violence. A sharp implement was used during the robbery, causing injury to him.
'The victim was fearful for his life, he had cancer surgery and stents put in his heart, he was terrified that he would be caused serious harm.
'It is a constant shame and blight on our city that robberies like these occur and it's unsurprising that Mr Botezatu has been deterred from returning as a result.
'I find that Djoudi played a leading role in the commission of the offence. He brought the others to the area, was the first to target the victim and was the individual who removed the watch from the victim's wrist.
'For each of you, only an immediate custodial sentence can properly reflect the seriousness of this offending.'
Mr Botezatu received the limited-edition diamond-encrusted watch for up to €200,000 (£170,000) around 13 years ago and the timepiece would now be worth considerably more.
He said the watch had a high sentimental value as he was given it by a friend who has since died.
Mr Botezatu received the limited-edition diamond-encrusted watch for up to €200,000 (£170,000) around 13 years ago and the timepiece would now be worth considerably more
CCTV footage shows the gang of robbers walk Amazonico in central London, where Mr Botezatu was smoking outside
Djoudi (left) and El Habchi (right) as seen in CCTV footage shown in court
Eldahouzze pictured on CCTV walking past the restaurant where Mr Botezatu was attacked
Djoudi was jailed for five years and nine months, El Habchi got five years and six months and Ali Eldahouzze was given three years and six months.
He was previously convicted for attempted robbery in Park Lane in 2014 and was handed a 20 month custodial sentence.
In 2017 he was convicted again for attempted robbery in Conduit Street and was handed a 24 month custodial sentence. Both were attempts to steal watches.
'He has form for this kind of criminality', said Mr Assante.
Mr Asante said: 'Djoudi has an active deportation order and has no right to remain in the UK. A foreign national is liable to deportation if a sentence of more than 12 months custody is imposed.'
El Habchi has indefinite leave to remain and is married to a British woman, and Eldahouzze has leave to remain until 2028 and arrived in the UK as an unaccompanied asylum seeking child.
Mr Asante said the watch has never been recovered. The watch had a high sentimental value as Mr Botezatu was given it by a friend who has since died.
Mr Botezatu studied under Gianni Versace before launching his own fashion label Delphi back in Bucharest, and has featured at Paris, New York and Milan fashion week.
He also hosted the Romanian version of Next Top Model from 2011 to 2012.
Detective Sergeant Swindles, the Met police point of contact for watch robbery in central London, produced a statement read to the court.
It said: '£1 million worth of watches are stolen every month from people's wrists20 per cent of watch robberies have had a knife seen or intimated in the past six months.
'It is clear that whilst our efforts targeting charging and convicting dozens of suspects have improved the figures, the problem still exists.'