Fashion designer and Romanian entrepreneur Catalin Botezatu has told a London court that he feared for his life when three men allegedly attacked him outside an upscale Mayfair restaurant and forcibly removed a valuable Richard Mille watch from his wrist.
Botezatu, 59, gave evidence at Southwark Crown Court behind a screen and with the assistance of a translator.
He told jurors that the attack happened shortly after he left Amazonico in Berkeley Square on January 28.
According to his account, he was smoking a cigar after his meal when three men approached from his right and suddenly overpowered him.
Three Men Allegedly Worked Together
Botezatu said he was pushed against a fence while two of the men restrained him and another approached with what he described as a sharp object.
He told the court that the man used the weapon to cut through both the watch strap and his skin before the expensive timepiece was taken.
“Three men came running from my right side. I was pushed into the fence and then restrained,” Botezatu said.
He explained that the incident unfolded within seconds, leaving him little opportunity to react.
The prosecution alleges that the three suspects were acting together as part of a planned robbery.
Health Fears Made the Attack Particularly Terrifying
Botezatu told jurors that his greatest concern during the assault was not simply losing the watch but suffering a potentially life-threatening injury.
He said he had undergone five operations on the right side of his body and had five stents fitted.
Because of his medical history, he feared that even a relatively minor blow or cut could have had serious consequences.
“I feared for my life,” he told the court.
Botezatu said he attempted to protect his body and his left arm while also trying to prevent the attackers from taking the watch.
Despite his efforts, he said the assailants managed to cut the strap while the other men held him down.
Valuable Watch Has Never Been Recovered
The Richard Mille timepiece was described to the court as a limited-edition model featuring diamonds and crystals and a rubber strap.
Botezatu said the watch had originally been purchased for him more than a decade ago for as much as €200,000, equivalent to around £170,000 at today’s exchange rate.
The prosecution said its value could have increased considerably since then.
For Botezatu, however, the watch was worth more than its market price.
He told the court it carried deep sentimental significance because it had been given to him by a friend who has since died.
The watch has not been recovered following the alleged robbery.
CCTV Captured the Moments Before the Attack
Jurors were shown CCTV footage from Amazonico that captured Botezatu during his meal.
The footage showed him on the restaurant terrace smoking a cigar with a friend.
Prosecutors allege that the men accused of the robbery were able to identify or notice him and his distinctive watch before the attack.
Further CCTV footage showed that security personnel were stationed at the roped-off entrance to the restaurant.
The prosecution argues that the circumstances point to an element of preparation, claiming the defendants first observed their intended target before carrying out the robbery.
Assistant Chased Suspects
After the attack, Botezatu’s assistant, Edward Radu, reportedly attempted to chase the fleeing suspects.
However, the three men escaped and the stolen watch was not recovered.
Botezatu told jurors he was shocked that he could be targeted in such circumstances, particularly after dining at a luxury restaurant in one of London’s most affluent areas.
“I couldn’t believe this was happening, that something like this would happen in London, in front of a luxury restaurant where I was a client,” he said.
Three Defendants Face Different Cases
The court heard that Ali Eldahouzze, 22, and Abdel El Habchi, 30, both deny robbery.
A third defendant, Younes Djoudi, has admitted the offence.
Prosecutor Arizuna Asante told jurors that the Crown’s case was that all three men participated in a joint plan to steal the watch.
He argued that the defendants had allegedly spent time observing both the restaurant and Botezatu before moving to execute the robbery.
The prosecution further suggested that the men either noticed the watch themselves or recognised it as a particularly valuable target.
Defendants Reject the Prosecution’s Account
The two men contesting the allegations have presented different accounts of their involvement.
Jurors were told that El Habchi’s case is that he neither knew about nor anticipated the alleged robbery and did not participate in it.
Eldahouzze, meanwhile, is expected to argue that he had no intention of stealing the watch and became involved under duress from Djoudi.
Both men are being assisted in court by Arabic interpreters.
Trial Continues at Southwark Crown Court
The case is expected to continue for four days as jurors consider the competing accounts and the evidence surrounding the alleged attack.
At the centre of the prosecution case is the allegation that the defendants identified Botezatu as a target, observed him before he left the restaurant and then carried out a coordinated robbery.
For Botezatu, the incident was not simply the loss of a highly valuable luxury watch.
His evidence has focused on the fear that the knife attack could have caused a far more serious injury given his medical history and the force used to restrain him.
