A college student in the West Midlands carrying a meat cleaver has carried out terrifying robberies to clear up his drug debts. The young man in question committed his horrific attacks by targeting five young victims in one hour.
Warsame Farah, 20, now faces deportation after committing the broad daylight offences in Digbeth. Birmingham Crown Court heard five students were attacked by the meat-cleaver-wielding robber who was after their phones.
Farah held the weapon to a man’s throat at the entrance of a university building, then punched a female in the face before threatening to stab her. Two other victims dropped their phones in fear when the thug raised the meat cleaver and made a chopping motion. A fifth victim fled when he rushed the blade.
Farah is a cannabis addict and had targeted victims for their phones to repay a drug debt as he feared consequences from the dealers, the court heard. He was jailed for three robberies, two attempted robberies, and possessing a bladed weapon in public. After serving his prison sentence Farah could now be deported back to Holland, where he was born before moving to Birmingham.
The court heard how the terrifying incidents started at around 12.30pm, with the ambush of two friends. The students were walking along Watery Lane Middleway talking when armed Farah was seen heading towards them. As he passed, he tapped one of the two men on the shoulder and was heard demanding: “Hey, give me your phone.”
They at first refused, but Farah wielded the meat cleaver at shoulder height while making a horrifying chopping motion. Both victims handed over their phones. At 12.55pm Farah targeted another student outside Birmingham City University’s Curzon Building. He approached the victim as he was walking into the building and pulled the meat cleaver from his tracksuit bottoms.
Just seven minutes later Farah attacked another BCU student, outside the University Locks. She was using her red iPhone when he snatched it from her hands. Mr Graham Russell, prosecuting, said: “She tried to snatch it back but was rewarded with a punch to the eye. Despite receiving that blow, she continued to try to retrieve her phone.” Farah then shoved her backwards.
She then backed away as the defendant fled the scene towards Curzon bridge – where he was caught on CCTV. At 1.07pm he met his final victim, who was also using his mobile phone while walking along. “He looked up and thinking that the defendant was going to pass him, he moved out of the way,” the court heard. Farah rushed the meat cleaver at the victim, leaving him shocked he stumbled and dropped his phone on the ground. The terrified victim fled from the scene and kept running until he reached a business on Great Barr Street – where he reported the crime to the police.
By Tauseef Asif
