Teen, 16, who threatened to cut off Aled Jones’ arm with a 20 inch machete in terrifying £17k Rolex robbery is jailed
A MACHETE-wielding teen who threatened to cut off Aled Jones’ arm in a terrifying £17,000 Rolex robbery has been detained.
The Songs of Praise presenter, 52, was out with his son Lucas when he was targeted near their home in Chiswick, South West London.
The 16-year-old thug 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.”
The teen was today been given a two year training and detention order after pleading guilty to robbery at Ealing Youth Court.
A Detention Training Order (DTO) is given to a youth aged between 12 and 17 and means the teen will remain in custody for the duration.
The teen also admitted one count of possessing an offensive weapon in a public place.
Prosecutor Robert Simpson said previously: “The complainant was walking with his son when he was approached by a youth in a black tracksuit.
“The defendant produced a knife in the form of a machete from his tracksuit bottoms and threatened to cut off his (Aled’s) arm.
“He made various other threats to obtain a Rolex watch.
“Mr Jones took off his watch and handed it over, then the defendant made off.”
Police managed to track the teen down after he was captured on CCTV leaving the scene.
He was arrested at home where cops found a machete that was the “same type used to facilitate the robbery.”
The boy was also wearing the same black tracksuit top and bottoms and black shoes from the attack.
Aled’s son Lucas also managed to identify the teen boy after his arrest.
Gero Di Piazza, defending, said the boy was forced to steal watches by adult members of a gang and did not personally benefit from the crimes.
Walking in the Air singer Aled told The Sun he was left “shocked” and “shaken” by the alleged incident last month.
His wife of 22 years, Claire — a circus trapeze artist — and the couple’s actress daughter Emilia, 21, were elsewhere at the time.
It is not known if the Rolex has been recovered or returned.
Aled found fame aged just 14 when his version of Walking in the Air, from Christmas film The Snowman, reached No5 in 1985.
The singer, from Bangor, North Wales, sold six million records and sang in front of the Pope, the Queen and the Prince and Princess of Wales, Charles and Diana by the time he was 16 and his voice broke.
Aled now presents BBC show Songs of Praise and hosts a morning radio show on Classic FM.
He was was made an MBE in 2013 for services to music and broadcasting and charitable services.