A 35-year-old east London woman has been sentenced to nine months in prison after carrying out a violent and prolonged assault on a lone passenger travelling on the Central line late at night, stealing cash from his wallet and leaving him with a broken phone.
Gloria Makanjuola, of Cranbrook Road in Ilford, pleaded guilty to assault and attempted theft ahead of her sentencing at Woolwich Crown Court on Thursday 19 February.
The incident took place in the early hours of Saturday 4 March 2023, as the victim travelled eastbound toward Hainault reading a newspaper. Makanjuola sat beside him and asked for money before reaching into his coat pocket without permission. She removed his phone, telling him she would return it only if he handed over cash.
As the victim tried to retrieve his phone, Makanjuola continued searching his pockets and pulled out his wallet, taking £60 in cash. When he attempted to resist, she struck him repeatedly across his body and bent his fingers backwards. He managed to break free and fled down the carriage, picking up his phone as he ran.
Rather than stopping, Makanjuola gave chase and tackled him to the ground near the train doors as the service pulled into Hainault station. She then gathered her belongings and left the station on foot. Passengers and railway staff helped the victim from the floor, at which point he discovered his phone had been smashed beyond use.
Officers in the area were alerted and at around 1am, a police officer at a nearby petrol station spotted a woman matching the description given. Makanjuola was identified and arrested at the scene in connection with the attack.
British Transport Police Detective Sergeant Bronwyn Prew welcomed the sentence, describing the incident as a targeted attack on a man going about his journey. She urged anyone who witnesses robbery or assault on the rail network to contact British Transport Police by calling 0800 40 50 40 or texting 61016.
