Robber's 10-word message to victim as he's jailed for stealing £10,000 Rolex

A robber appeared to be "flirting" with another man in a bar but instead snatched a £10,000 Rolex watch from his wrist. Nazim Guettair attacked his victim as he was waiting for a taxi home, leaving him with a broken bone and a "disfigurement".

The thug claims to have been acting under threat from a gang who were demanding money from him. He told a judge "I really apologise" as he was locked up today.

Liverpool Crown Court heard this afternoon, Monday, that Gamelle Saleh was standing at a taxi rank on Victoria Street in Liverpool city centre at around 5am on January 15 this year with his friend Kelly Powell. The latter recalled that Guettair, of no fixed address, had approached them while they were earlier in Heaven nightclub and had been "trying to flirt with" the complainant.

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Outside, the 29-year-old began to stroke Mr Saleh's arm before a taxi arrived to take them home. When Ms Powell got into the vehicle, the defendant began to shake the other man's left hand before forcefully pulling a Rolex watch from his wrist.

Philip Astbury, prosecuting, described how Guettair then ran away in the direction of Mathew Street. His movements were subsequently traced to Chavasse Park, where he was "seen to change his clothing" in a bush.

The watch was never recovered. Mr Saleh initially purchased the Rolex for £6,250 in July 2021, but its value was thereafter said to have risen to an estimated £10,000.

He attended the Royal Liverpool Hospital the day after the assault and was found to have suffered a fracture in the ring finger of his left hand which may yet require surgery. His index finger was meanwhile left "disfigured".

Guettair was eventually arrested on July 1 after being linked to the incident by DNA discovered on clothing which had been left in the park. Under interview, he told detectives that he had "little recollection of the day of the robbery" and claimed he had been "given drugs by a gang who pressurised him for money" and "threatened him with violence".

The Algerian national has no previous convictions in the UK, although he was cautioned for shoplifting in March this year. Guettair had previously been seeking asylum in this country, although his application was later "terminated due to non-compliance".

Tom Watson, defending, told the court: "Mr Saleh and Ms Powell were entitled to just enjoy their night out. What this defendant did was utterly outrageous and, frankly, disgraceful and mean. He says to the court, through me, that he is ashamed. He certainly should be ashamed. The court knows that he was effectively living rough.

"He was under some pressure from others. He came to this country in 2022. He did present himself for asylum. I understand that he was being threatened in his home country. The reality is that, once the defendant has served the sentence he is about to receive, he will be deported by the Home Office. That causes the defendant concern, but there is nothing the defendant can do about that.

"The defendant cannot excuse his outrageous behaviour towards Mr Saleh. His behaviour was motivated by a lack of finances and trying to survive on the streets."

Guettair admitted one count of robbery. He nodded in the dock as he was jailed for three years and four months. Sentencing, Judge David Potter said: "You could see that he was drunk. You took full advantage of that and, as he was getting into a taxi, you wrenched a Rolex watch from his wrist. In doing that, you caused a nasty injury to his hand and arm.

"The watch, which was worth somewhere in the region of £10,000, was never recovered. More serious than the value of the watch was the damage done to your victim. This crime was now committed nine months ago. The consequences for Mr Saleh are still ongoing. You accept that this was a disgraceful and mean offence, and you should be rightly ashamed of your behaviour."

Guettair was heard to speak in his native tongue after receiving his sentence, with his interpreter telling the court that he had said: "I really apologise and hope the victim will hear me."