Vigilante dad arrested for assault when he broke knifepoint robber’s nose

A furious dad caught the mugger who stole his son’s phone at knifepoint only to be was arrested himself, a court heard.

Hejran Azizi, from Hornsey, stole mobiles and bank cards from three boys, who cannot be named for legal reasons, in Enfield on 19 February 2025.

But when one victim’s no-nonsense father caught up with the then 16-year-old grammar school student, he found himself accused of assault.

Azizi, now aged 18, wore a navy blue tracksuit as he confirmed his identity at Highbury Corner Magistrates today (Thurs).

Prosecutor Amy Gault said the three child victims were approached by two men – including Azizi wearing a balaclava – who shouted ‘Oi’ then demanded their phones.

After one boy complied, masked Azizi gave him his phone back ‘because it was not of good quality’ and turned his attention to another boy’s headphones.

When the boy refused, Azizi drew a 15-inch knife and pointed it at his belly, telling him ‘Is it worth getting stabbed for?’.

The victims handed over their devices, including an iPhone with the ‘Find My’ tracking function turned on.

As Azizi fled, one 14-year-old victim called his father who immediately jumped in his car and started following the device around north London.

Ms Gault said: ‘They found the location and saw the male. They managed to stop that male in an alleyway.

‘One parent knelt on top of Hejran and said “You stole my son’s phone”. Hejran said “Yes, but I did not smash them up”.’

In a victim impact statement, one boy said ‘I was not going to take any chances’ after being threatened with a knife.

A second boy said he was left ‘shook up’ and ‘scared to go out’, while the third said he avoids going back to Enfield Town.

Adil Syed defending said Azizi was hospitalised with a broken nose and bruising after the incident

Mr Syed said: ‘The father was arrested for assaulting Mr Azizi because he suffered a fractured nose.

‘He was taken to hospital then taken for treatment. He had a number of cuts and bruises to his head as, he stated, he was kicked and punched by the complainant’s father before police arrived.’

Mr Syed also said Azizi intends to appeal his conviction in the Crown Court as he urged the bench of three magistrates to consider his young age, no previous convictions, and lack of any offending since the incident.

Azizi told the court his mother is ‘an ill person’ and in receipt of benefits, and a dad, who sat in the well of the court, also out of work.

Asked if he still mixed with his accomplices from the day of the mugging, Azizi said: ‘Not all of them, but one or two.’

This raised eyebrows on the bench.

Asked if he wanted to add anything, Azizi, who attended well-regarded Enfield Grammar School at the time, said: ‘I do not have nothing to say. I just hope you give me a chance.’

Magistrate Alan Elias said the prospect of an appeal had no effect on his sentencing decision, as Azizi had been convicted on three counts of robbery after a trial.

Mr Elias also stressed that, if not for his age and staying out of trouble since, Azizi could have been facing a custodial sentence for ‘very serious crimes’.

Instead, on the advice of the youth offending team, Azizi was handed a 12-month Youth Rehabilitation Order, 48 hours unpaid work, and a ban from entering the London Borough of Enfield for six months.

He must also pay £100 in compensation to each victim.

‘If you breach any requirements the Youth Justice team can bring you back to court,’ warned chairman Mr Elias.

The father is not believed to have been charged with an offence.