City man's knife terror

A city economist has described how he thought he was going to die after being mugged at knifepoint by two crack addicts who carried out terrifying street robberies across London.

The men held a knife against Alex Roy's face and told him "we'll kill you" unless he handed over his watch.

But Mr Roy refused - saying it was a gift from his wife - and the men eventually ran off with his mobile phone and just ?40 in cash from his wallet.

Today Mr Roy relived the ordeal after his attackers Christopher Ward, 42, and Gavin Lawton, 23, were jailed for a total of 20 years for a series of similar knife robberies. One included an attack on a kidney transplant patient who was returning to a hospital for a check-up.

Mr Roy described how his attackers threw him against a wall as he walked down Meymott Street in Southwark.

"I had just left my office at 9pm and as I turned a corner I saw Lawton, who suddenly came at me with a knife," he told the Evening Standard.

"Before I could do anything he was joined by Ward, who pushed me up against a wall. I was absolutely terrified but there wasn't much I could do. I was calling out for help but there was no one around - it was all quiet.

"They held the knife against my forehead and they said they were going to kill me if I didn't hand over my watch. I thought I was gong to die. "I told them they could have my wallet, but I didn't want to give them the watch as it has great sentimental value.

"They were screaming at me but I refused to let them have the watch. Eventually they took my mobile phone and wallet instead.

Mr Roy, from Clapham, said: "I was one of the lucky ones. Other people they attacked suffered far worse than me."

The robberies all took place between Tower Bridge and London Bridge over a five-day period. Lawton first struck alone on 21 July last year in Burrell Street, holding a knife to a 51-year-old man's neck before fleeing with ?126, a compact disc player and a video tape.

Two days later the pair cornered kidney transplant patient Elaine Barnes, 56, in a hospital car park and slashed open her hand before running off with her ?500 designer watch.

Fearing a further attack she ran into the hospital, where her left hand had to be stitched up. She was on her way to a lunchtime check-up at Guy's Hospital.

Just four days later Lawton struck again, pulling out a knife on a 42-yearold man in Tanner Street and demanding cash. When the victim told the robber his wallet was empty he stabbed him in his hand and ran off.

The next day the duo carried out their most violent attack - cornering Anton Garder, 59, in Fair Street and demanding cash.

He was beaten to the floor, repeatedly stamped on and hit around the head, then stabbed three times in the stomach before the pair ran off with just ?20 from his wallet.

After viewing CCTV footage of the attacks police spotted the pair in St Mary Magdalene Churchyard in Long Lane on 30 July.

They were challenged and Lawton surrendered. Ward tried to run away and was chased by a police dog. He was stopped with CS spray during a violent struggle with officers.

At the Inner London crown Court yesterday, Lawton, unemployed, and of no fixed address, was jailed for nine years after he admitted five charges of robbery and three of causing grievous bodily harm with intent.

Ward, a builder, of no fixed address, denied taking part in the robberies but was jailed for 11 years after being found guilty of three charges of robbery and three of causing grievous bodily harm with intent.