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Model Julia Restoin Roitfeld reveals she fought off three masked muggers near her north London home as she falls victim after Bridgerton star defended herself during assault

BBG News

Julia Restoin Roitfeld has shared that she successfully thwarted an attempted robbery by three masked individuals as she walked in the vicinity of her home in north London.

Last week, the 44-year-old model and fashion mogul posted about a harrowing experience they had, detailing their safe exit from it on Instagram.

The harrowing experience encountered by the child of a previous Vogue Paris editor-in-chief follows the incident where Genevieve Chenneour, an actress from Bridgerton, found herself needing to protect herself during an assault.

Sharing a harrowing encounter from her personal experience, Julia recounted an incident where she nearly fell victim to a group of three masked men on bicycles. They were clad in hoodies and balaclavas, charging towards her at high speed and attempting to surround her.

I’m not quite certain where I found the strength, but wow, could you sort things out, London?

Julia, known for spearheading campaigns for brands like Tom Ford and Lancome, resides in the capital city along with her partner, 48-year-old Northern Irish musician Tim Wheeler, and their two kids.

In her past, she was involved with Swedish model Robert Konjic, and they have a daughter named Romy who is 13 years old. Additionally, she shares a three-year-old son, George, with another individual named Tim.

In her post, she tagged Sadiq Khan (Mayor of London) and Islington council, stating: ‘For 16 years in New York, I never felt fear walking home at night. It’s tiring to constantly stay alert and terrified for my daughter and all the children out there.’

The remarks were made amidst escalating worries regarding street safety in London, especially for females and minors, due to a surge in moped and bike-related thefts and assaults that are now prevalent in various parts of the city.

A model who was born in Paris and later relocated to London became well-known not long after that, as she started dating former footballer Jamie Redknapp, following his divorce from singer Louise.

The following year she met Tim in what she has called the ‘best Instagram move ever’.

Initially, she admired him from afar on the platform, being a fan. To her astonishment, he reciprocated by following her too. They started exchanging messages, and later, they arranged to meet in reality, which ultimately led them into a deep, enduring relationship.

Robberies, or muggings as you might call them, are disproportionately high in north London compared to the rest of the UK. Over the course of a year between May 2024 and 2025, approximately 3,700 instances were reported.

Just recently, I found myself expressing a sense of unease about living in the capital city, following an unfortunate incident that occurred when I was out for a walk with my pet last February 8th. At Joe & The Juice, I fell victim to Zacariah Boulares, who unfortunately targeted me. This encounter has left me feeling less secure than before.

Despite the young criminal being exceptionally active in illegal activities, leading to a series of thefts, he only served a prison term of 22 months. This was surprisingly lenient given his ruthless streak.

At Isleworth Crown Court, Boulares was reprimanded by the judge after he made an inappropriate gesture, raising his middle finger towards spectators in the public gallery, and was subsequently escorted to the police holding cells.

Once upon a time, I was absolutely captivated as TopMob unveiled footage showing the courageous actions of Ms Chenneour. In this heart-stopping moment, she valiantly defended herself against a thief, with an incredible assist from her then-boyfriend, Carlo Kureishi, who happens to be the son of renowned author Hanif Kureishi, age 30 at the time.

In a revealing account, former synchronized swimmer for Team GB, Ms. Chenneour (who later turned into a skilled boxer), shared her harrowing experience of believing she was about to lose her life when a menacing individual brandished a knife and threatened to stab her.

The actress shared with LBC that, due to a troubling event, she has chosen to leave her residence in London.

She shared that the feeling of anxiety she experiences, even in public places, has become quite dreadful. She has moved out of London.

Currently, London isn’t a place where I feel I can comfortably reside. If this situation had arisen two years ago, during the early stages of my career, it might have severely impacted my professional growth. At that time, being physically present for meetings and always being reachable was crucial.

It seems a recent research has been conducted, correct? This study highlighted an unsettling fact: many women express feelings of intense unease while navigating the streets of London. Frankly, this finding left me quite astonished because it appears that the overwhelming majority of women I’ve encountered share similar sentiments about their safety in the city.

More recently, Ms. Chenneour shared that she’s been having vivid, alarming dreams where someone seems to be trying to take something from her. These dreams often cause her to wake up with cold sweats on her hands.

She shared that she intends to consult with a trauma counselor, yet clarified that she currently needs to find a solution for her dog, who seems to bite anyone who tries to pet her.

As a devoted fan, I’ve shared my apprehensions about the duration of Boulares’s imprisonment after the Kensington High Street theft. I can’t help but express my concerns about his future release, as I ponder what may transpire thereafter.

Approximately eighteen months prior, Boulares had chosen a different famous figure as his intended victim. He menaced to decapitate Aled Jones using a twenty-inch machete, while he was stealing Jones’ £17,000 Rolex Daytona in Chiswick, located in west London.

A sixteen-year-old burglar was imprisoned following his assault on a Welsh singer in October 2023, but he spent just 14 months out of his 24-month term before getting released and returning to the streets again.

18-year-old Boulares, whose name and image were revealed following his birthday in February, has persisted in causing trouble for London residents, even going so far as to rob up-and-coming actress Ms Chenneour, who plays the gossipy Clara Livingston in the popular Netflix series Bridgerton.

At Isleworth Crown Court, it was revealed that detectives managed to apprehend Boulares following his arrest – coincidentally on his 18th birthday – for pilfering a backpack from a visually impaired couple and their 10-year-old son at a Five Guys restaurant in Kensington, which took place on February 18.

On February 8, police managed to determine that he was the thief responsible for the theft of Ms. Chenneour’s belongings. Additionally, on January 30, they identified him as the individual who took a handbag at a Pizza Pilgrims restaurant in London’s West End.

Boulares, with a stern expression and a long black ponytail, wore a gray prison tracksuit as he stood in court, having been imprisoned for multiple thefts throughout London and physically attacking Mr. Kureishi.

He received sentences totaling fifteen months: five months for the Pizza Pilgrims robbery, seven months for the Joe & The Juice robbery, four months for common assault, and six months for the Five Guys robbery.

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2025-07-15 20:51

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