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Newham men jailed for 54 years for violent carjacking attack on former boxer Michael Watson
Legemah, Samuels and Luck attacked former boxer Michael Watson. Pic: Met Police - Credit: Archant
Three ammonia-wielding carjackers who dragged former boxer Michael Watson down the road by his seatbelt during an attempted robbery have been jailed for a total of 54 years today.
Mr Watson was left partially disabled in a boxing match with Chris Eubank. Pic: PA - Credit: Archant
Simon Luck, 29, and Paul Samuels, 31, both of Bluebell Avenue, Manor Park, were sentenced to 20 years and 18 years respectively, and 23-year-old Anselm Legemah, of Elkington Road, Plaistow, was jailed for 16 years.
All three were found guilty of conspiracy to rob and of applying a corrosive fluid at Snaresbrook Crown Court last week.
Jurors heard how they targeted former boxer Mr Watson and his carer as they drove through Chingford in February last year, with the latter being sprayed in the face and eyes with ammonia and also kicked and punched.
Mr Watson, who was partially disabled in a boxing match with Chris Eubank in 1991, was trapped by his seatbelt in the car door and dragged 500 yards along the road.
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The gang then abandoned their attempt to steal the car, leaving the bottle of ammonia on the front seat.
The court heard how less than two weeks earlier, Samuels and Legemah stole a white Audi S2 from a petrol station forecourt in Loughton, Essex.
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They persuaded the 19-year-old driver Bradley Robinson to open his window by asking for a cigarette lighter, then squirted ammonia into his eyes and face, causing him permanent damage, before ordering him out of the car and driving it away.
Mr Robinson’s passenger, a 16-year-old girl, suffered burns on her legs and was forced to jump out of the car as it was moving.
The robbers used a stolen Mercedes to carry out the two attacks.
Days after the Chingford offence, the crashed car was found with the airbag deployed. Luck’s DNA was found on the airbag and a bottle of ammonia, the same brand used in both offences, was found under the passenger seat.
In a victim impact statement, Mr Robinson said: “As soon as the acid hit me I was immediately terrified.
“My passenger, had to jump from the moving car. It took 15-20 minutes before I could feel my face and eyes burning. It hit me all at once. The incident has had a negative impact on every aspect of my life and will continue to do so for the rest of my life.”
This story will be updates.
