An Algerian asylum seeker convicted of sexual assault has been jailed for leading a ‘cowardly’ phone-snatching gang which terrorised commuters in a violent robbery spree.
Adel Kerari, 27, of Lisgar Terrace in Hammersmith and Fulham, was jailed at Inner London Crown Court for two years and eight months in prison, having pleaded guilty to six counts of robbery and one of fraud by false representation.
Kerari and four associates carried out a series of six thefts targeting lone travellers in June 2023, which saw a woman punched in the face and commuters attacked.
When he was identified by police Kerari had already left the UK, where he had lived for a year after leaving his native Algeria. He was in Ireland seeking asylum.
But within five days of his arrival he had sexually assaulted a 22-year-old woman in an attack that would see him jailed for more than two years.
He was arrested by officers from British Transport Police after returning to London following his release from prison.
The series of raids in 2023 included a robbery on June 1, where the gang cornered a woman on a train to Holborn and followed her through the station after she managed to escape.
She was then pushed from behind, punched in the face and robbed of her phone and headphones.
Algerian asylum seeker Adel Kerari, 27, has been jailed for two years and eight months for his role in a ‘cowardly’ phone-snatching gang
Kerari and four associates carried out a series of six violent robberies targeting lone travellers in June 2023, which saw a woman punched in the face and commuters attacked
During a second incident ten days later, the group stole a man’s phone and wallet after attacking him at Leyton Underground station.
Hours later, the gang were captured on CCTV using the man’s stolen bank card at an off-licence.
Over the course of 11 days, the group committed or attempted to commit robberies at stations including Holborn, Chancery Lane, Leicester Square, Russell Square, Notting Hill, Shepherd’s Bush, Piccadilly Circus, and Leyton.
They stole phones, wallets and other personal effects with some of the devices valued at more than £2,000, court documents show.
The group resorted to violence or the threat of violence to rob commuters, going from station to station targeting lone travellers.
On one night the group targeted two people in just 10 minutes, robbing someone of their phone and wallet at Leicester Square before travelling on the train to Russell Square and robbing a second person of their phone.
It can now be revealed that Kerari is in fact an Algerian migrant who travelled to Ireland following his robbery spree, where he was convicted of sexual assault.
Kerari, who was in Ireland under the name Adel Kerai, declared his intention to seek asylum in the European country over alleged persecution for his political beliefs.
But within five days of his arrival he had assaulted a 22-year-old woman in the middle of a public street.
Kerari was arrested at a property in west London after his return to the UK following a jail term in Ireland for sexual assault
Kerari is seen on CCTV in an off-licence, where he and his fellow gang members used a bank card belonging to one of their victims
Kerari spotted the woman in Dublin on December 10, 2023 and began following her.
The woman, who was waiting for her boyfriend at the time, turned and walked away from Kerari after he approached and tried to speak to her.
The Algerian followed her into Henry Street, put his arm around her and tried to kiss her, a court heard.
As she tried to push him away, he then put his hand down her top and touched her genitals over clothing, before pushing his erect penis against her.
Kerari was convicted and handed a jail term of two years and three months.
At the time of his sentencing in Ireland, he already had four convictions for other offences in Britain, the court heard.
After being released from prison he returned to the UK, where he was arrested over the robberies in September.
Video footage shows how police officers raided his home while Kerari was still in bed.
It can now be revealed that Kerari is in fact an Algerian migrant who travelled to Ireland following his robbery spree, where he was convicted of sexual assault
Kerari’s social media profiles show him enjoying life in the UK, where he now has at least five convictions
Kerari’s co-conspirators Musa Lebdiri, 21, of Harlesden, Normane Draachour, 24, of no fixed address, Ali Mansour, 21, of Hatfield, and Brandon Reeves, 20, of Wembley were sentenced in 2023 and 2024 to a combined total of over ten years’ imprisonment.
Lebdiri was convicted of three counts of robbery and one count of handling stolen goods and was sentenced to 33 months in prison on December 1, 2023.
Draachour was convicted of attempted robbery and theft, and was sentenced to 27 months behind bars on the same date.
Mansour was convicted of five counts of robbery, one count of attempted robbery, and one count of fraud by false representation and was sentenced to 27 months imprisonment on March 6, 2024.
Reeves was convicted of five counts of robbery, three counts of attempted robbery, and one count of possession of an offensive weapon and sentenced to 40 months imprisonment on July 18, 2024.
Detective Sergeant Tony Gittins, investigating officer in the case, said: ‘Criminals like Kerari should know that we’ll make sure they face justice for the crimes they inflict on members of the public.
‘Tackling robbery on the London Underground is a top priority for us, and we’re working around the clock to catch offenders and ensure they have their day in court.
‘Kerari and the rest of the cowardly group worked together to intimidate and target passengers across London for their own benefit. The rail network is covered by extensive CCTV, which we successfully used to prove that they were behind this 11-day crime spree.
‘Our uniformed and plain-clothes teams patrol the rail network every day to deter robbery and keep passengers safe.
‘Fortunately, incidents like this are rare, but we take every report of robbery extremely seriously and will continue to come down hard on those who use the railway network for criminal gain.
‘If a robbery has just happened, always dial 999 or speak to an officer or a member of staff – our officers can then quickly deploy to your location and begin immediate enquiries to trace the culprits.’
