Bridgerton Star Genevieve Chenneour Fights Off Thief Zacariah Boulares

Zacariah Boulares, an 18-year-old with a long record of thefts, has been sentenced to 22 months in jail after attempting to rob Bridgerton actress Genevieve Chenneour in a terrifying incident earlier this year.

The attack happened in February at a Joe & the Juice café on Kensington High Street in West London, where Chenneour was grabbing lunch. CCTV footage captured Boulares sneaking up behind the 27-year-old actress and snatching her iPhone. But Chenneour bravely fought back. She spun around and grabbed his arm. Her boyfriend at the time, Carlo Kureishi, also stepped in.

Repeat Offender With Violent History

Boulares has 12 previous convictions involving 28 offences, including multiple thefts. During sentencing at Isleworth Crown Court, he showed no remorse. He even gave the judge the middle finger after his sentence was announced, prompting a stern warning.

Judge Martin Edmunds KC said Boulares showed a “systematic pattern of stealing from people” and added: “You seem to be plagued by an attitude that if people can afford nice things, then you can take them.”

Boulares had also committed other thefts. In January, he stole a handbag from a Pizza Pilgrims outlet in London’s West End. Then on February 18, on his 18th birthday, he snatched a backpack from a blind couple who were dining at Five Guys.

Sentencing Breakdown

• 5 months for the Pizza Pilgrims theft

• 7 months for the Joe & the Juice attempted robbery

• 4 months for assaulting Carlo Kureishi

• 6 months for the Five Guys theft

All sentences will run concurrently, totalling 22 months in prison.

Chenneour Left Traumatised

In a victim impact statement, Chenneour opened up about how the attempted robbery triggered past trauma.

“This incident feels like a big setback in my journey to improve my mental health… I am feeling extremely shaken and cannot stop replaying the incident.”

She added she now feels anxious about visiting public places and is even considering leaving London for her safety.

Kureishi also shared his emotional distress: “After the incident I truly feel worried and scared to carry my belongings… I feel like being in a café is going to make me feel paranoid and unsafe.”