Serial thief jailed for trying to rob former Newcastle United star Andy Carroll's £22,000 watch
A serial thief has been jailed for attempting to rob former Newcastle United striker Andy Carroll of his £22,000 wristwatch in a drive-by heist.
Motorbike-riding Jack O'Brien, has been jailed for 11 years.
The 22-year-old swooped on the England player's Jeep Wrangler near Hainault, north-east London, as he was driving home from West Ham's training ground last year.
O'Brien was found guilty of attempted robbery following a trial at Basildon Crown Court.
In a victim impact statement Carroll, who believed the defendant had a gun, said he "feared for his life" and now travels to and from training with security guards.
O'Brien, of Navarre Gardens, Romford, east London, was given a sentence of 11 years and three months for the attempted robbery on November 2 and a previous "campaign of burglaries".
Judge John Lodge told him:
O'Brien yelled "I never done it" as he was led down from the dock.
Carroll signed for West Ham from Liverpool after leaving the Magpies in 2011.
The 6ft 4in striker told the court the motorcycle driver approached his camouflage green vehicle and said: "Nice watch."
As he went to drive off, the man said: "Give me your watch."
Carroll told the court he then did a U-turn, but was pursued by two motorbike drivers.
Carroll twice gave evidence during the trial - once in person and a second time via video-link, having been whisked from training to Barkingside Magistrates' Court by police escort.
He told the court he had seen the robber for about 10 seconds and later identified O'Brien in a police identity parade.
In a panicked 999 call played to the jury, Carroll told emergency responders:"There's two motorbikes, one's behind me pulling out a gun, I don't know what to do."
Carroll told the trial he believed O'Brien had a gun when he pulled alongsidehim at a set of traffic lights and demanded the expensive timepiece on November 2.
The 28-year-old was then pursued by two suspects on motorbikes as he tried to escape, forcing him onto the wrong side of the road as he drove back to the training ground, which had security staff.
Jack O'Brien was sentenced to five years and three months for five other burglaries, three attempted burglaries and handling stolen goods between September and November 2016, which he previously admitted.
For the attempt on Carroll, he was sentenced to an additional six years. Referring to the footballer's victim impact statement Simon Gladwell,prosecuting, told the court:
Detective Sergeant Brett Hagen, of the Metropolitan Police, who was the senior investigating officer in the case, said: