Dramatic dashcam footage shows motorcyle mugger trying to rob Andy Carroll of his £22,000 watch in a drive-by heist

  • Jack O'Brien, 22, attempted to rob the England-capped 28-year-old in London 
  • Motorbike rider 'repeatedly pointed at him with a gun and demanded his watch' 
  • Carroll, 28, initially thought it was a prank but then did a U-turn and fled scene
  • Called partner's father before dialling 999 and saying 'S***, I've hit loads of cars'
  • Footage of the terrifying chase emerged today as O'Brien was jailed for 11 years 
  • Police say O'Brien is a career criminal who used same Suzuki in other burglaries 
  • He was found cowering under his mattress and the motorbike was in the garden

Andy Carroll said he 'feared for his life' as he was chased by a motorbike-riding thug who tried robbing him of his £22,000 watch in a dramatic 'gunpoint' hold-up. 

Harrowing dashcam and CCTV footage shows the West Ham star's green Jeep Wrangler speed away from two pursuers down the middle of an east London road.

In a witness impact statement read to a jury at Basildon Crown Court, Mr Carroll said he 'feared for his life' and now needs security guards as he travels to and from training with security guards. 

The dramatic footage emerged as Jack O'Brien - who is circled in green in the shocking footage released by the Met Police - was sentenced to 11 years and three months for trying to steal the footballer's £22,000 watch.

Jack O'Brien, 22, denies attempting to rob the England-capped 28-year-old as he drove his green Jeep home from training on November 2 2016.
The West Ham and England star said a biker who he initially thought was a friend tried to hold him up at some traffic lights as he sat in his Jeep (pictured on another occasion)

Jack O'Brien (left) was accused of trying to rob Andy Carroll at some traffic lights as he sat in his Jeep (pictured right on another occasion) in a failed attempt to grab his £22,000 watch

Harrowing footage captured on another motorist's dash cam shows the moment Mr Carroll's green Jeep Wrangler speeds away from the two pursuers, including O'Brien (circled in green)

Harrowing footage captured on another motorist's dash cam shows the moment Mr Carroll's green Jeep Wrangler speeds away from the two pursuers, including O'Brien (circled in green)

Mr Carroll sped off in his Jeep (circled) when one of two motorbike riders  'repeatedly pointed at him with a gun, or pretending to have a gun' and was demanding to have his watch so he fled

Mr Carroll sped off in his Jeep (circled) when one of two motorbike riders 'repeatedly pointed at him with a gun, or pretending to have a gun' and was demanding to have his watch so he fled

Prosecutor Simon Gladwell said Carroll was 'beeping at other cars and driving on the wrong side of the road to get away'. O'Brien is shown circle in green while the second man, circled in red, has never been caught 

Prosecutor Simon Gladwell said Carroll was 'beeping at other cars and driving on the wrong side of the road to get away'. O'Brien is shown circle in green while the second man, circled in red, has never been caught 

The second man, circled in red, has never been caught.  

During the case, the court heard how Mr Carroll, 28, initially believed the hold-up was a prank by a friend. When the armed robber told him 'nice watch', he thought it was just a compliment so replied 'thanks'.

But Mr Carroll said one of two motorbike riders then 'repeatedly pointed at him with a gun, or pretending to have a gun' and was demanding to have his watch so he fled.

The pink tie-clad crook, of Romford, looked straight faced as the jury’s majority 11/1 verdict was read out and drank from a cup of water.

Carroll, pictured outside court on Tuesday, described how a gun-wielding motorbike rider tried to rob him  and he crashed into ten cars trying to escape

Carroll, pictured outside court on Tuesday, described how a gun-wielding motorbike rider tried to rob him and he crashed into ten cars trying to escape

O'Brien, 22, denied attempting to rob the 6ft 4ins millionaire footballer on November 2 2016, and said someone else was using his Suzuki motorcycle that day. 

The second man riding the motorbike was never found.  

Police said O'Brien already used his bike in a string of burglaries and when they raided his house he was hiding under his mattress.

They also found a crash helmet and Ducati jacket were seized from the property, and a Suzuki motorbike was seized from the back garden. 

Prosecutor Simon Gladwell told Basildon Crown Court: 'The motorcycle used in the alleged attempted robbery was the same motorcycle that was seized at the time of Jack O'Brien's arrest'.

He said the rider of the bike used in the alleged attempted robbery wore the same crash helmet and jacket seized at the time of O'Brien's arrest.

Mr Gladwell then detailed a string of burglaries, to which O'Brien pleaded guilty in April 2017, in which items including jewellery, watches and cash were stolen. The offences happened in October and November 2016.

'At the time of each of the burglaries Jack O'Brien used the same motorcycle that was used in the attempted robbery of Andy Carroll,' said Mr Gladwell.

West Ham striker Andy Carroll (pictured in May) thought the hold-up was initially a prank - but then saw a gun and panicked

West Ham striker Andy Carroll (pictured in May) thought the hold-up was initially a prank - but then saw a gun and panicked

He said that in each of the burglaries O'Brien also used the same crash helmet and jacket worn by the biker in the attempted robbery of Carroll.

Carroll previously told the court he was 'scared' when a motorcyclist approached him at traffic lights in Hainault, north-east London, and demanded he hand over his watch as he returned home from West Ham's training ground.

Initially Mr Carroll thought it was a 'prank' and initially thought he recognised the rider as his boxer friend Kevin Mitchell, the court heard this week.

The footballer told O'Brien's trial: 'He just said "nice watch" I said "thanks" and went to drive away and he said "Give me your watch".'

The motorbike rider 'repeatedly pointed at him with a gun, or pretending to have a gun and demanding to have his watch', the court heard.

He said in a frantic 999 call played to a jury: 'There's two motorbikes, one's behind me pulling out a gun, I don't know what to do' and also told the handler: 'I'm a Premier League footballer'.

As beeping is heard in the background, Carroll says to the operator: 'Oh s***, I've hit loads of cars, I don't know what to do, he's just hit my car.'

He eventually arrives at the West Ham training ground and tells the operator there are security staff there.

'I've probably just hit about 10 cars on the way here,' he said in the call. 

The panicked Premier League star initially called his partner Billi Mucklow's (pictured together) father who then urged Carroll to call the police instead 

The panicked Premier League star initially called his partner Billi Mucklow's (pictured together) father who then urged Carroll to call the police instead 

Andy Carroll leaves court after telling of his incredible escape from a gun-wielding motorcycle robbery gang

Andy Carroll leaves court after telling of his incredible escape from a gun-wielding motorcycle robbery gang

In a victim impact statement Carrol said he 'feared for his life' and now travels to and from training with security guards.

Explaining what happened Carroll told the jury: 'I just pulled up at the traffic lights, my window was open, a bike pulled up next to me and said 'Nice watch'.'

He said he replied 'Thanks' and 'Thought I recognised him'.

Premier league star called back to give evidence again 

Mr Carroll, who had been at training that morning, did a U-turn and successfully drove back to work while calling the police to say he was being chased by armed men 

Mr Carroll, who had been at training that morning, did a U-turn and successfully drove back to work while calling the police to say he was being chased by armed men 

Andy Carroll was whisked from training to give evidence against a man accused of holding him up in an armed robbery.

The lanky West Ham striker appeared via videolink on Wednesday  after being recalled to court on the eve of transfer deadline day.

Police rushed to pick him up and took him to a video link centre after a late request from Jack O’Brien’s defence Michael Edmonds .

The England-capped forward told Basildon Crown Court he had not seen the 22-year-old’s picture before the ID parade and said the conditions were good on the day of the robbery

Mr Edmonds first thanked him for coming to court and said: “When you had the 10 seconds to view the rider who demanded your watch that the light conditions were good.

“Do you remember or not that there was sunlight or not on the helmet do you remember?

Wearing his hair tied back a black T-Shirt and Blue Jeans said: “I don’t remember the sunlight I just remember his face.”

When asked if he remembered police calling him to say O’Brien had been arrested he said: “Not really.”

He also revealed he had deleted his Facebook and Twitter accounts since September and denied anyone sending him O’Brien’s picture, simply answering “no”.

He said: “I have deleted my Facebook and Twitter as I haven’t been on for about eight months.

“I don’t use it anymore since September.” 

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'He had his crash helmet on with his visor up,' said Carroll. 'I stared at him for about 10 seconds as I thought I recognised him and thought he was going to have a conversation.'

He continued: 'I went to drive away and he said 'Give me your watch'.'

He said to start with he 'didn't know if it was a joke' but, when he did a U-turn, both bikes turned and followed him.

Bearded Carroll, who had his hair in a bun, wore a dark blue shirt, blue jeans and trainers as he gave his evidence.

He used his hands to show jurors how the motorbike rider allegedly gestured for him to surrender his watch, and he also showed a gun gesture.

O'Brien, who wore a white shirt, pink tie and grey trousers, sat beside a female officer in the secure dock, and Carroll avoided his gaze as he gave evidence.

Mr Gladwell said Carroll was 'beeping at other cars and driving on the wrong side of the road to get away'.

Carroll told the court: 'I was scared, I didn't know what to do. I called my partner's dad, I just panicked. He told me to ring the police.'

In the 999 call Carroll struggles to recognise road names, as the operator reassures him that police are not far away.

At one point he tells the call handler: 'I'm a Premier League footballer.'

Mr Gladwell said Carroll did a U-turn and eventually managed to get back to the West Ham training ground, but he was pursued by the two motorbikes for some distance.

'Mr Carroll accelerated away as he was scared, did a U-turn and headed back towards the West Ham training ground,' he said. 'He realised the threat was real.'

He continued: 'Mr Carroll was beeping at other cars and driving on the wrong side of the road to get away, but still the motorbikes were following him.

'The first bike got in front of him and approached his front passenger door but Mr Carroll managed to find a gap and get away.

'During part of this incident Mr Carroll called police as he was being pursued.'

Michael Edmonds, defending, said O'Brien, of Romford, east London, was not the biker.

He said O'Brien had used the motorcycle, jacket and helmet for crime before, but that it was not him using the bike on this occasion. 

Sentencing O'Brien to more than a decade behind bars, Judge John Lodge told him: 'I have no doubt at all in saying that by reason of the planning of that sophisticated offence, the length of time that you pursued that vehicle, and that you were again using your motorcycle equipment as a disguise, you are at the very top of the bracket of culpability.'

O’Brien changed into a green turtle neck sweater for sentencing and uttered 'I never done it' as he was slapped with a sentence of 11 years and three months. 

He gazed at his family in the public gallery during the hearing, grimaced ,and put his head in his hands as his crimes were laid bare.

Barrister Simon Gladwell told the court the attempted robbery meant Mr Carroll had upped his security.

He said: 'Obviously we heard in evidence that he feared for his life because he honestly believed that they had a gun and it has affected security.

'He now has to have security guards to pick him up from the training ground to take him home.'

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