Nine Months Behind Bars After Violent Robbery Attempt on Tube Train

A woman who launched a violent late-night attack on a passenger aboard a Central Line train has been jailed after pleading guilty to assault and attempted theft.

Gloria Makanjuola, 35, of Cranbrook Road in Ilford, was sentenced to nine months in prison at Woolwich Crown Court on Thursday 19 February. The court heard she admitted charges of Assault and Attempted Theft following an incident that unfolded shortly before midnight on Friday 3 March 2023.

The victim had been travelling eastbound towards Hainault, quietly reading a newspaper, when Makanjuola sat beside him and demanded money. Moments later, she began searching through his coat pocket. She removed his mobile phone and told him she would return it if he handed over cash. As he tried to retrieve the device, she continued going through his belongings, pulling out his wallet and taking £60 before dropping the phone.

The situation escalated further as Makanjuola struck the man across his body while attempting to seize the wallet. She bent his fingers backwards during the struggle, but he managed to break free and run along the carriage, snatching up his phone as he fled. When the train pulled into Hainault Underground station, Makanjuola chased him and tackled him to the ground near the doors. She then got up, collected her belongings and left the station. Bystanders and railway staff assisted the victim, who found his phone had been smashed and left unusable.

Officers in the vicinity were alerted, and at around 1am a police officer at a nearby petrol station spotted a woman matching the suspect’s description. She was identified as Makanjuola and arrested in connection with the attack.

BTP Detective Sergeant Bronwyn Prew said:

"This was a targeted attack on a member of the public minding his own business, so I'm very pleased to see Makanjuola jailed for her erratic and aggressive behaviour. There is absolutely no place for violence, robbery, or theft on the railway, and we will continue to prosecute those who seek to use the network for their own criminal gain. If you see someone committing a robbery or an assault on the railway network, or are a victim of one yourself, we urge you to contact us by texting 61016 or by calling 0800 40 50 40 or speak to a member of staff so that we can act and get justice."

Image: British Transport Police