TALAB: DINERS WERE CHARGED WITH A SHOPPING TROLLEY BY RIOTERS

Rioters rampaged through a busy restaurant tipping over tables before trying to set the building fire on as terrified customers cowered inside, a court heard.

Up to 50 masked men armed with knives and lighter fuel descended on the Le Bijou cafe on Lodge Road, St John’s Wood in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

Drinkers scattered from the tables outside as rioters charged them with a shopping trolley, then started smashing the windows of neighbouring shops.

They stormed the restaurant at half past midnight, knocking over tables and chairs before setting fire to fuel-soaked rags and throwing them on the floor.

At the same time, other men used a bat to smash into a car parked outside and tried to set it alight.

Failing to start a fire inside the building, the heavily armed group moved on to the nearby RYM café in Park Road.

A hooded man robbed a customer, stealing £1,200 and two mobile phones.

Other rioters threw chairs and smashed bottles, before customers banded together to chase them away.

Police officers armed with TASER guns and CS gas arrived on the scene and found abandoned lighter fuel, knives, masks and gloves in the street outside.

They arrested 16 suspected rioters, including second-year law student Marouane Rouhi, 21, City of Westminster Magistrates’ Court heard.

Fellow suspect Amir Shar, 18, volunteers for a local charity running sports workshops for disadvantaged young people.

He is due to study economics at the University of West England, in Bristol, from September.

The pair appeared in court today (thurs) charged with violent disorder alongside Samir Drissi, 18, of Willesden Lane, Kilburn; Jacques Samuel De La Lubie, 18, and Omar Talab, 20, of Nottingwood House, Clarendon Road, Holland Park.

Youssef El-Idrissi, 19, Beidir Amin, 18, and a 16-year-old boy who could not be named for legal reasons also appeared.

Eight other suspected rioters linked to the same incident appeared in court overnight.

Prosecutor Becky Owen said: ‘Numerous youths, totalling up to 50 in number have broken into two cafes in the locality whilst customers were enjoying drinks.

‘They were hooded, they were carrying knives, lighter fluid and cloths in order to ignite it.

‘They attempted to set fire to a car but failed to do so, they attempted to set fire to a café with customers inside but failed to do so, they also threw missiles and the like.’

None of the suspects entered pleas and many asked for bail, but all 16 were remanded in custody.

They will next appear at Highbury Magistrates’ Court on August 18, to be committed to Wood Green Crown Court on September 8.

Jim Kelly, defending Rouhi, said: ‘This young man has plans and ambition, he has no incentive to run – his incentive is to clear his name.

‘He is looking at having his entire future destroyed given the nature of these charges.

‘It’s simply a case, it seems, of round them all up and let God sort them out.’
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