Bridgerton actress who fought off phone thief reveals she ‘hit rock bottom’ and had a concussion after attacker threatened to stab her in ‘life or death’ brawl

Genevieve Chenneour has shared that she reached her lowest point following the intense physical altercation where she defended herself against a phone snatcher, which turned out to be a potentially fatal encounter for her.

In a bold response, the actress from Bridgerton, aged 27, stood up for herself when Zacariah Boulares, 18, unexpectedly approached her from behind and took her phone at Joe & The Juice store located on Kensington High Street, in west London, on February 8.

The actress is known as rumour-monger Clara Livingston inNetflix period drama Bridgerton.

Genevieve is now disclosing that she experienced a challenging period following the incident, during which she ended her relationship with her partner of three years.

To The Times, she expressed, “Following the phone argument and our split, I reached my lowest point. It’s possible that these events are necessary for me to begin anew.

Experiencing quite a jolt, and it’s indeed scary, yet I find myself in a position where I can focus on my professional growth, personal well-being, and cherished relationships.

Due to the event, Genevieve’s life has undergone a substantial change. She has moved away from west London, having resided there for seven years, and now feels apprehensive about venturing out alone.

Later, my doctor verified that I suffered from a concussion. For several weeks following, I experienced spells of dizziness and felt anxious about venturing out by myself. I continue to feel that way now, she mentioned.

The actress expressed that, similar to many women, she remains extra alert when in the presence of men in public areas. However, she finds this situation increasingly distressing and has decided not to attend any festivals this summer due to her apprehension about being surrounded by groups of men wearing minimal clothing.

Approximately 18 months prior to the assault on Genevieve, Boulares menaced Aled Jones, warning that he would decapitate him using a machete, during a robbery of his expensive Rolex watch worth £17,000, which took place in Chiswick, located in west London.

The thief, then 16, was locked up for his attack on the Welsh singer in October 2023. 

Instead, he left youth detention ahead of schedule, having served only 14 months out of the total 24-month term imposed on him.

As a lifestyle advisor, I’d like to emphasize that an individual once known only as “Boulares,” now fully identified and visible at the age of 18, has unfortunately embarked on a series of questionable actions. Among these actions are instances of theft, such as the recent incident involving Genevieve. It’s crucial to remember that everyone has the potential to make better choices and steer their lives in a more positive direction.

It was revealed that the perpetrator had a long record of criminal activity, including 12 prior convictions associated with 28 separate crimes, when he admitted guilt on May 29 for theft of a phone and physical attack against another customer, Carlo Kurcishi.

As a fervent admirer, I firmly believe that this individual requires both incarceration and mental health treatment. Failure to provide proper rehabilitation could lead him to perpetrate even more egregious offenses in the future.

On the show “This Morning,” Genevieve found herself in an altercation that extended roughly for about five minutes in its entirety. A large portion of this time was spent by her subduing her assailant, keeping them pinned to the ground.

She mentioned that it veered off in a direction and escalated into a heated altercation involving two individuals, Boulares and his associate.

Confronted with the possibility of being stabbed, the situation suddenly felt like a struggle between life and death for me.

In that situation, I reacted by quickly moving away from him using my leg, just in case he might have been armed. It was an unexpected and transformative instant.

After the traumatic event, the star found herself petrified and unwilling to step outdoors: ‘I just didn’t feel like going out.’

‘I mean as a woman we already, I think, have our wits about us around strangers and random men. 

Experiencing such an event at a time when I was already grappling with issues common among many women, made me develop a severe fear of leaving home, or agoraphobia.

Genevieve has talked to other people who had their phones stolen, and they all shared with her the same sense of worry that she felt following their ordeal.

She pointed out that it sparked numerous discussions, both with acquaintances and strangers, and she came to realize how many individuals are dealing with that kind of anxiety, she added.

‘When a man’s phone gets stolen, just as when a woman experiences the same situation, they both feel an equal amount of anxiety.’

This version emphasizes the shared experience between men and women while avoiding gender-specific pronouns. It maintains the core meaning of the original statement but is more inclusive in its language choice.

Given the increasing incidences of mobile phone theft, former Chief Superintendent Parm Sandu recently discussed preventive measures with Genevieve on the couch, offering guidance for individuals who might unfortunately become victims of such crimes.

In my perspective, Genevieve showed great courage, and I truly admire her for that. However, I wouldn’t advise anyone to retaliate in similar situations. It’s simply not a battle worth fighting.

Parm continued: ‘You don’t know what these people are carrying. 

They might possess a knife, a syringe, or any other tool they could potentially use against you.

If you happen to be the one obstructing their path to liberty, they might resort to kicking, hitting, or using whatever objects are available in an attempt to break free and elude capture.

In a cell phone theft, it’s not only the actual device that’s at risk; any sensitive information such as banking details and personal identity data could also be compromised since these details may be saved on the device.

The presenter offered some advice to the audience, starting with suggesting a cell phone case equipped with a wrist strap: “If it has a strap attached to your wrist too, thieves will find it more challenging to grab it and make a quick escape.

Every device, Parm explained, has an IMEI number, a unique serial number. 

Instead, consider being informed about your unique identification number and jot it down as a precautionary measure, should your device ever get stolen; this will aid the police in tracing it more efficiently.

She suggested that if you find yourself without your phone, you should immediately inform your service provider. Additionally, don’t forget to get in touch with your bank as well.

Additionally, if you manage to access a laptop and have the ‘Find My Phone’ feature enabled, you can immediately disable your device and wipe your private information right away.

Informing the police about it would also be helpful because it alerts both them and the community that the location could be a hub for criminal activity, potentially prompting them to focus their resources on that area: ‘This action may trigger a response from the local law enforcement.’

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2025-06-18 13:49