Violent West Kensington Tube Robber Has Sentence Increased

Solicitor General challenged leniency of original prison term

Kerari shows shock when police arrived to arrest him in his West Ken flat. Picture: BTP

June 28, 2026

A West Kensington man who took part in a string of violent robberies and stabbings across the London Underground has had his prison sentence increased following a referral to the Court of Appeal by the Solicitor General.

Adel Kerari, 27, of Lisgar Terrace, was originally sentenced at Inner London Crown Court in January 2025 to two years and eight months in prison for six counts of robbery and one count of fraud. On Thursday 25 June, the Court of Appeal extended his sentence to three years and nine months after Solicitor General Ellie Reeves KC MP successfully argued that the original term was unduly lenient.

The court heard that over two weeks in June 2023, Kerari and other gang members carried out a violent crime spree targeting commuters at stations including Holborn, Russell Square, Leicester Square, Goldhawk Road and Leyton. Victims were robbed, assaulted and stabbed, with phones, wallets and bank cards stolen. Two of the victims were stabbed during the attacks, and seven people were targeted across six separate incidents.

Police later discovered that Kerari had left the UK after the offences. He was arrested at an address in West London in September 2025 after returning to the country. His co‑conspirators had already been convicted, receiving a combined total of more than ten years in prison.

Announcing the appeal outcome, Solicitor General Ellie Reeves KC MP said, “Adel Kerari purposely targeted lone passengers across the London Underground in a spree of appalling violence. The attacks and stabbings were shocking and vicious. I welcome the court ’s decision to increase the sentence following my referral. Violent criminals and gangs threaten the safety of our towns and cities. I will always pursue action on behalf of victims to ensure sentences reflect the true severity of such violent crimes. ”

British Transport Police Detective Sergeant Tony Gittins, who led the investigation, described Kerari as “an extremely dangerous and violent criminal who launched a rampage of brazen robberies across the London Underground and as such fully deserves to spend the foreseeable future behind bars. ” He added that the extended sentence “offers some small comfort to the victims, who have shown considerable strength throughout the judicial process. ”

A Transport for London spokesperson said the offences were “extremely serious and violent ” and welcomed the outcome. “The safety of our customers and staff is our top priority, ” they said. “We continue to work closely with the police to tackle robbery and violent crime across the network — including targeted operations and patrols in hotspot locations and using our data and extensive CCTV to pursue offenders. ”

Adel Kerari

Kerari’s arrest and conviction followed a detailed British Transport Police investigation that used CCTV footage to track the gang ’s movements between stations. Officers say the case demonstrates their determination to pursue violent offenders on the rail network.

Anyone with information about similar incidents is urged to contact police on 101, quoting reference 4607/27JUN.