Three men have been sentenced to a total of 30 years in custody after a “fake Rolex” assault which resulted in the loss of the victim’s eye.
The 45-year-old victim was assaulted by three men who robbed him of his fake Rolex watch.
The man lost an eye in the attack and South Wales Police say it has had a “devastating” impact on both his personal and professional life.
Thierno Dilallo, 20, from the Riverside area of Cardiff, Abdul Ismail, 20, and Mubarak Yusuef, 21, both from the Grangetown area of the city, were sentenced last week.
After the incident, Ismail then went on to film himself with the watch and post the photos on Snapchat.
The victim was helped by a local resident who then reported the incident to the police.
Detective Constable Eleri Powell from South Wales Police said the victim had been lured into Louisa Place in Cardiff Bay while on a night out in May 2022.
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Officers say Ismail and Yusuef were arrested and charged within a month, but Dilallo was arrested upon his return to the UK after he fled the country.
“The victim was vulnerable through alcohol, and we believe they targeted him because of his watch which they probably thought was a genuine Rolex,” she said.
“He was attacked with a glass bottle and despite the best efforts of medical professionals, tragically his eye could not be saved and had to be surgically removed.”
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The three defendants were convicted of grievous bodily harm and robbery after a trial at Cardiff Crown Court in January.
Yusuef was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment, while Dilallo and Ismail were both sentenced to 10 years at a youth offender institution.
