Bridgerton star reveals terrifying moment phone thief threatened to STAB her in cafe attack – before she tackled him
Genevieve Chenneour was sitting in a Joe & The Juice in Kensington, South West London when the terrifying ordeal happened.
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Zacariah Boulares snuck up behind the 27-year-old and swiped her phone on February 8.
Genevieve - who plays Clara Livingston in the hit Netflix show - revealed that the "full on scrap" lasted for about five minutes.
She pinned the 18-year-old thief to the floor but has now said he threatened to stab her.
"I was threatened with being stabbed, so it became a matter of life and death," she told ITV.
"I remember kicking him back with my leg to create space in case he had a weapon on him."
She described it as a "life-changing, crazy moment".
The star said the ordeal has left her feeling scared to venture outside and she has even left her home in the capital to take a "break" from the lawless city.
Astonishing footage from police showed Genevieve grabbing Boulares' shoulder as she realised her phone had been taken.
She then tackled the serial thief to the ground with the help of another customer.
Genevieve managed to take her phone back from Boulares before repeatedly hitting him with it in the posh cafe.
She previously claimed she suffered a concussion in the horror in February and said even her dog was "traumatised".
The star added: "They didn't expect me to stand up for myself – but I did."
Algerian national Boulares previously pleaded guilty to stealing the phone.
The teen also admitted common assault against fellow Joe and the Juice customer Carlo Kurcishi, who had stepped in to help.
Boulares pleaded guilty to a separate charge of theft after he swiped a black leather hand bag from a diner at a pizza restaurant.
The court heard he has 12 previous convictions for a total of 28 offences - all relating to theft.
His rap sheet includes threatening to cut off Aled Jones' arm while stealing his £17,000 Rolex.
The Songs of Praise presenter, 52, was out with his son Lucas when he was targeted near their home in Chiswick, South West London.
Boulares - then aged 16 - pulled out 20 inch machete and repeatedly threatened Aled in a bid to steal the luxury timepiece.
He told him: "Give me your f***king Rolex or I will cut your arm off."
Aled handed over the £17,000 Rolex Daytona watch rather than fight with the armed robber.
He and his son bravely followed the 6ft teen but when he spotted them, he snarled: "Walk the other way or I will cut your head off."
Boulares was given a two year training and detention order after pleading guilty to robbery at Ealing Youth Court.
But he was released from youth detention early after serving just 14 months of his 24-month sentence.
He will be sentenced for robbing Genevieve on June 17 at Isleworth Crown Court.
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