Rider ‘threatened to shoot Andy Carroll for his watch’

A gun-wielding motorbike rider tried to rob West Ham striker Andy Carroll of his £22,000 wristwatch as he drove his green Jeep home from training, a trial heard.

Jack O’Brien, 22, denies attempting to rob the England-capped 28-year-old on November 2 2016.

The 6ft 4ins footballer was returning home from his club’s training ground when he was chased by two motorbikes at around 12.15pm, Basildon Crown Court heard.

Prosecutor Simon Gladwell said two motorbike riders chased Carroll after one approached him at traffic lights in Romford Road, Hainault, north-east London and demanded his watch. 

Initially Mr Carroll thought the attempted robbery was a ‘prank’ and initially thought he recognised the rider.

The footballer said that during the incident the motorbike rider ‘repeatedly pointed at him with a gun, or pretending to have a gun and demanding to have his watch’. 

Premier League player Carroll said in a frantic 999 call played to a jury today: ‘There’s two motorbikes, one’s behind me pulling out a gun, I don’t know what to do.’

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. 

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’.

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 

‘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 Navarre Gardens, Romford, was not the motorbike rider.

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

The trial, estimated to last three days, continues.