Illegal migrant, 26, who attacked City workers outside Tube station to rob them of their phones, a laptop, and £600 family heirloom ring is jailed for five years

By OLIVIA DAY, ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR, AUSTRALIA Published: 12:41, 13 July 2026 | Updated: 12:56, 13 July 2026 A Nigerian-born immigrant who mugged four men in an 'out-of-control' crime spree claimed he had travelled to the area simply to see the Christmas lights.  Wasiu Smith, 26, stole several phones, a work laptop and an heirloom ring worth £600 during a series of robberies outside Farringdon Tube station on November 4.  Smith, who was born in Nigeria but has a Dutch passport, has lived in the UK since 2019 and settled in Shropshire, later moving to Walsall. He claimed he had travelled from Canary Wharf to see the Christmas lights, despite them not yet being switched on, Snaresbrook Crown Court heard. One of Smith's victims was Alex Belsham-Harris, head of Energy Consumer Markets at the charity Citizens Advice, prosecutor Adrian Yallan told the court.  Mr Belsham-Harris had just left the gym when Smith, with a scarf pulled over his face, lunged towards him and delivered a series of blows behind his ear.  He then made off with Mr Belsham-Harris's bag, which contained his work laptop.  After the attack, Mr Belsham-Harris was dizzy and could barely stand. He sought refuge in a nearby Tesco, the prosecutor told the court. Bonny Wambulu had been standing outside his office on Farringdon Road when Smith 'ran towards him at speed' and told him not to move.  Wasiu Smith, 26, stole several phones, a work laptop and an heirloom ring worth £600 during a series of robberies outside Farringdon Tube station on November 4 Alex Belsham-Harris (pictured) had just left the gym when Smith, with a scarf pulled over his face, lunged towards him and delivered a series of blows behind his ear He repeatedly shouted 'give me money' and acted as though he was concealing a weapon in his pocket.  Panicked, Mr Wambulu put his hands up and told Smith he didn't have any money. Smith's third victim, Alexander Burgess, had just had an opal ring repaired at a jewellers and was walking towards Farringdon station. Smith spotted the ring and made frantic gestures to Mr Burgess, threatening to punch him while again acting like he was concealing a weapon.  Mr Burgess handed the ring over and Smith threatened to punch him again, telling the victim to 'go away'.  His fourth victim was Michael Evesque, a managing director of lighting company Bert Frank, who had been walking towards his office on Farringdon Road. Smith had been 'standing in the middle of the pavement' with his arms and legs outstretched to block people walking past, the court was told.  Police officers later caught up with Smith on a bus with the stolen property and a wrap of crack cocaine. Several people were attacked near Farringdon Station last November (pictured)  When questioned, Smith claimed the opal ring and stolen rucksack were his, that he had been attacked by unknown individuals, and the drugs were planted. Smith's barrister, Katie Knafler, told the court there may have been an innocent explanation for why Smith kept one hand in his pocket during the attacks. 'It might have been cold,' she said.  But judge Charles Falk dismissed the suggestion, saying people did not rob their victims with one hand in their pocket. Judge Falk sentenced Smith to five years in prison for three counts of robbery, one count of attempted robbery, one count of common assault and one count of possessing a Class A drug. He said Smith had 'no insight and no remorse' and had carried out his offences 'to obtain crack cocaine.'  The heavily-built defendant, wearing grey jogging bottoms and a grey T-shirt, showed no emotion as he was sentenced. During the trial, he told jurors he suffered from partial blindness, a brain injury, ADHD and PTSD, and suggested he had been mistaken for someone else. But the judge said: 'I cannot trust a word that comes out of your mouth, Mr Smith, as the jury could not' and said there was no evidence of psychiatric disorder. 'You were completely out of control and inflicted pain and suffering on members of the public. I have no doubt that you were intimating that you had a knife, though I accept you did not in fact have a knife. 'I am also satisfied you were attempting to conceal your identity.   'The most serious offence was the final one as you used violence against Mr Belsham-Harris.  'I have no doubt he released his bag because he was terrified after the assault.'