Gang of 'millionaire muggers' who targeted F1 boss and Tory peer jailed for 53 years

- Gang stole valuable jewellery from London's wealthiest residents- They mugged F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone and BAA chairman  Sir Nigel Rudd- 'Hardened criminals' Gulam Gani, Nicholas Lewis and Shaun Wallace handed 53 years' jail
Muggers jailed: (L-R) Gulam Gani jailed for 18 years, Nicholas Lewis jailed for 20 years, and Sean Wallace jailed for 15 years
Emer Martiin13 December 2012
WEST END FINAL

Get our award-winning daily news email featuring exclusive stories, opinion and expert analysis

I would like to be emailed about offers, event and updates from Evening Standard. Read our privacy notice.

The victims of a gang of “millionaire muggers” who targeted some of London’s richest businessmen, bankers and celebrities, including Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone, said justice had been done as they recounted their ordeals.

The gang are believed to have raked in £2 million by following their targets’ movements on the internet before robbing them near their homes.

Victims included Sir Nigel Rudd, the chairman of BAA and his wife Lesley, Tory peer Lord Leach of Fairford as well as the Formula 1 boss and a string of wealthy women.

Jennifer Boschetto, 60, was among three women attacked in May last year, as she walked to her front door in Hampstead from a taxi after spending the evening in a Mayfair restaurant.

She told the Evening Standard: “It’s a relief that they have been given a decent sentence and I am very glad they are behind bars, but the attack has had a significant impact on my life and on my daughter who watched it happen from the upstairs window.”

Mrs Boschetto has had to undergo two operations on her hand after she had her wedding and engagement rings ripped violently from her finger in a £12,000 robbery.

She added: “I’m a strong person and I am quite particular about not letting these things get to me. At first I was very nervous about coming home but I refuse to let them beat me.

“My daughter was 16 at the time and it has affected her quite badly. She calls me every time she is walking up the drive. No matter what time it is, whether it is two in the morning or four in the afternoon, I have to be standing there in the window. It that respect it has changed our lives for ever.”

Lord Leach of Fairford, believed to have been the first victim of the crime spree, was targeted by the gang two years ago when he had his watch stolen.

He said: “I was walking near Hammersmith along a dark passage and two people saw an opportunity for a bit of extraction. I always welcome anyone being brought to justice.”

Gulam Gani, 47, Nicholas Lewis, 34, and Shaun Wallace, 30 were found guilty by a jury at Southwark crown court of four robberies last year and were branded ‘hardened criminals’ by Judge Beddoe as he sentenced them to a total of 53 years yesterday.

A fourth man Radcliffe Benjemin, 55, owner of Hush Jewellers in Clerkenwell, north London, was cleared unanimously by the jury of fencing the stolen loot for the gang.

Banker Elizabeth Kaye, 46, was dragged to the floor and stripped of jewellery worth over £40,000 outside her Hampstead home including diamond earrings worth £4,000, a Cartier Cougar watch worth £4,000, a diamond pendant and ring worth £6,500 and diamond ring priced at £25,000.

She had told the jury: “I didn’t want to be hurt so I just said ‘let me help you.’

“They tried to take my earrings out but they couldn’t do it. I didn’t want to be hurt so I took my earrings out.”

Sir Nigel Rudd, 63, the chairman of BAA and his wife Lesley, 64, lost £84,000 of jewellery at knifepoint.

Mr Ecclestone, 82, was stripped of £200,000 of jewellery and left battered and bruised during the mugging in front of his then girlfriend, now wife, Fabiana Flosi in Knightsbridge.

Create a FREE account to continue reading

eros

Registration is a free and easy way to support our journalism.

Join our community where you can: comment on stories; sign up to newsletters; enter competitions and access content on our app.

Your email address

Must be at least 6 characters, include an upper and lower case character and a number

You must be at least 18 years old to create an account

* Required fields

Already have an account? SIGN IN

By clicking Create Account you confirm that your data has been entered correctly and you have read and agree to our Terms of use , Cookie policy and Privacy policy .

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in