London Police Charge Man with Attempted Murder in Stabbing of Saudi National

RIYADH — London's Metropolitan Police have charged a 58-year-old man with attempted murder in connection with the stabbing of a Saudi national in the Mayfair area of central London. The police have officially upgraded the charges against the perpetrator from “assault with intent to rob” to “attempted murder.”

Before the Magistrates’ Court, a decisive ruling was issued denying the perpetrator bail and extending the pre-trial detention of the suspect. The entire case file has been referred to the Crown Court, which has greater jurisdiction, paving the way for the imposition of the maximum penalties, which could reach life imprisonment.

The Saudi citizen, in his 40s, was stabbed in the early hours of Friday near Berkeley Square in London’s Mayfair district in an attempted robbery targeting his valuables, including a luxury watch. The assailant attacked the victim with a knife before fleeing the scene, leaving him seriously injured.

During the hearing in the Magistrates’ Court, it emerged that the assailant stabbed the victim while targeting a luxury watch, but suffered a setback and ultimately fled empty-handed. It was revealed that the Saudi citizen had outsmarted the attacker with a clever ruse. He had removed his expensive watch and carefully concealed it in his bag instead of wearing it while out. This did not prevent the attacker from stabbing him, but when he discovered that the watch was missing, he fled empty-handed before being apprehended by security guards and bystanders, who handed him over to the police.

For its part, the Saudi Embassy in London has continued its direct oversight of the case through a legal team monitoring the proceedings to ensure justice for the injured Saudi tourist. The embassy reiterated its stern warning to citizens to avoid carrying valuables in the capital’s streets to prevent becoming targets.