A man who robbed a sex worker at knifepoint and stole her iPhone has been jailed for five years.
Muhammed Rashiq, 19, of Mildred Avenue in Watford, called the woman and arranged to meet at a property in Maida Vale at around 11.50pm on December 30, 2020.
The teenager arrived at the building armed with “large knives”, alongside a second man who obscured his face using Covid face masks.
Another person at the property walked in on the robbery and pretended to call the police, as the two men ran away with the woman’s phone.
Metropolitan Police detectives were able to trace the phone number used to book the appointment to Rashiq and he was then picked out by the victim on an ID parade.
After initially denying the robbery, he subsequently admitted it at a preliminary court hearing before being sentenced at Southwark Crown Court to five years and three months' in prison.
Det Con Ben Lovatt, of central west robbery squad, based at Charing Cross Police Station said: “This was a frightening attack on a young woman.
“We are absolutely committed to tackling violence against women and girls, working tirelessly to target the perpetrators, prioritising action against sexual and violent, predatory offenders.
“We want all women and girls to feel safe anywhere in London and have the confidence to come to us when they are not.”
