Youth Charged after Robbing Two Women

Caught during Carnival stop and search

A 16 year old youth from South Acton appeared at Ealing Magistrates Court yesterday charged with robbery and cautioned for possession of a Class C drug (Cannabis) after robbing two women, one in Leythe Road and the other in Berrymead Gardens on Friday night.

At 9.05pm last Friday 11th July a woman aged 28 was walking along Leythe Road, when she was grabbed from behind, pushed into the road and had her handbag stolen. The suspect ran off in a westerly direction along Leythe Road.

At 9.10pm on the same night the suspect attacked a second woman aged 30 who was walking along Berrymead Gardens. The woman was grabbed from behind and was punched several times by the suspect as he attempted to steal her handbag. She was pulled to the ground on her knees and dragged along. One of her shoes fell off which the suspect used to beat the woman until she eventually left go of her handbag.

The suspect ran off along Berrymead Gardens with the bag towards Acton High Street.

The victim sustained grazed knees, a swollen right cheek and mouth, and a cut to her left temple as a result of the robbery.

The following day, at 3.41pm, a 16-year-old youth from South Acton was subject to a routine stop and search by police in Acton Park. This was one of many stop-and-searches carried out by Police assisting the organisers of the Acton Carnival. The youth was found to be in possession of bank cards which had been reported lost by the 28-year-old woman who was robbed on the previous evening in Leythe Road.

The youth was arrested on suspicion of robbery and taken to Acton Police Station. During a search of his home address police discovered a number of items reported stolen from the 28 year old woman who was robbed in Leythe Road, and from the 30 year old woman in Berrymead Gardens. The youth is due to appear at Ealing Magistrates Court on Monday 14th July 08.

July 15, 2008