A TikTok prankster, Bacari-Bronze O’Garro, known as Mizzy, has been given a community order and fined after snatching a £1,000 iPhone from a woman’s hand while riding a Lime bike in central London.
The incident occurred on June 15, 2022, when Mizzy, then 17, stole the phone as the woman was texting. Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court heard that police officers pursued him after noticing his suspicious cycling behavior.
He was later arrested and found guilty of theft in April.Judge Michael Oliver sentenced the now 19-year-old O’Garro to a 12-month community order, requiring him to complete 100 hours of unpaid work and 15 days of rehabilitation activity.
Additionally, he must pay £500 in compensation to the victim. The judge emphasized that the sentence aims to punish O’Garro and make reparation to the community.
The victim, Ruby Hewitt, testified that the theft left her feeling “stressed, anxious, and quite scared for my safety.”
During the court proceedings, it was revealed that O’Garro fled from police officers, discarded the phone into a bush, and was eventually detained after attempting to escape on foot.
O’Garro’s lawyer, Keren Weekes, highlighted the negative impact of his previous time at a young offenders institution on his mental health.
She noted that O’Garro, who has a son, is now working towards positive societal change through internships and a vocational qualification in creative media. He is co-leading an anti-knife crime video project as part of his efforts.
O’Garro had three prior convictions and had been sentenced for a separate robbery in July 2022.
