An armed mugger has been jailed for 10 years after attempting to rob Arsenal duo Mesut Ozil and Sead Kolasinac of luxury watches worth £200,000.
Harrow Crown Court heard that Ashley Smith and his accomplice did not count on the bravery of Bosnian defender Kolasinac in fighting back.
Ozil then drove them from the ambush as the would-be robbers pursued them on a stolen moped and threw stones, the court heard.
Officers were able to trace the defendants and arrest them.
The judge stated that Smith has “an appalling criminal record” of 20 convictions from 38 offences dating back to when he was 14 years old.
Assault, theft, burglary, driving without a licence and breaching a community order are among some of the offences.
Defence lawyer Susan Meek told the court that Smith had described the ambush as “a scummy thing to do and that when he takes drugs these are the things he ends up doing”.
Smith was also ordered to pay £181 in a victim surcharge.
Northover is to be sentenced at a later date which has yet to be set.
