Fulham Man Confesses to 84 "Strangulation Robberies"

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Stole £1million from women including designer Nichole Farhi

A Fulham man who targeted wealthy women, including top fashion designer Nicole Farhi has admitted carrying out 84 robberies and stealing more than £1million in luxury jewellery and cash, according to police.

Daniel Mykoo, 29, of Fulham Court was often aided by his brother Matthew, 27 when he violently robbed women in areas such as Hampstead and Chelsea.

One of the pair would strangle their victims, including a judge's wife, BBC news reporter Sangita Myska and a 84-year-old woman while the other stripped them of their valuables, Wood Green crown court heard.

The brothers, described by police as "two highly dangerous career criminals", carried out a series of attacks starting in 1999.

Matthew, from Brent was convicted of seven robberies, having previously admitted two attacks. He was cleared of eight attacks, including the attack on Farhi.

Daniel Mykoo pleaded guilty to 19 robberies prior to his brother's trial earlier this year but asked for a further 65 robberies to be taken into consideration.

Judge Nicholas Browne QC said Daniel faced a life sentence or indefinite term for public protection. As he heard mitigation, the Judge said: " Look at the whole pattern of strangulation robberies by this defendant. It's in a league of its own, isn't it?"

Policde said the pair used stolen cars to track their victims for hours before attacking them.

They teamed up for eight muggings, robbing 19 lone women and one 60-year-old man between March and June last year and using the money to fund their £12,000-a-month crack habit, the court heard.

Nicole Farhi was attacked outside her Hampstead home in April last year. Gripping her throat and covering her eyes, Mykoo stole her Rolex watch and a diamond ring worth £8,000 as well as a substantial amount of cash.

Describing the attack, she told the court she believed she was going to die. "One hand came on to my eyes and the other on to my throat. He squeezed and I fainted. I fell on top of him, and I remember my last thought before I fell was, 'How stupid to die in front of my house. '"

The BBC news reporter Sangita Myska was attacked by Daniel Mykoo outside her home in Belsize Park. When one of her rings would not come off, one of the attackers had said, "Take the finger off then," she told the court.

In an impact statement, she said: " To this day, I can't stand men walking behind me and have to duck into doorways and round corners just to get away."

Fiona Lindblom, a judge's wife who was attacked on her doorstep in west London described being "violently sick" for three days after she was attacked.

John Carmichael, prosecuting, said: "It was discovered that they had been prolific muggers and robbers throughout London. They – and Daniel in particular – appear to be some of the most persistent robbers in the London area, certainly in recent memory."

The robberiers, said the judge, were carried out in a cynical and violent fashion. " There was a degree of violence which had left physical injuries and, perhaps more significantly, trauma and psychological injuries."

Matthew Mykoo has three previous convictions for robbery, and has previously served seven and a half years in prison for holding a shopkeeper at knifepoint.

Daniel Mykoo has two previous convictions for robbery as well as convictions for burglary, drugs, motoring offences and violence.

Sentencing is due today, September 23.

 

September 23, 2009