Farhi throttled in doorstep robbery by knife brothers

The French-born fashion designer was attacked from behind in the drive of her Hampstead home in April last year. It is claimed Daniel Mykoo forced his arm around her throat, and brother Matthew wielded a knife during the ordeal.

Farhi lost consciousness for a few minutes as the pair took a ring and her Rolex watch, prosecutor John Carmichael told Wood Green crown court. She pleaded to keep the watch which had sentimental value but the pair refused. They also stole cash.

Her husband, playwright Sir David Hare, gave chase as the robbers fled and managed to take down the registration number of the car they used.

Mr Carmichael said the brothers preyed upon lone women, forming a "strangler-robber" team. Daniel would pounce on victims from behind and strangle them, causing some to pass out. Then Matthew would arrive and grab earrings, necklaces and watches.

He said their robberies saw 17 women and one 60-year-old man fall victim between March and June last year, as the brothers struck in Hampstead, St John's Wood, Ladbroke Grove and Chelsea.

Daniel has admitted 18 counts of robbery but Matthew, 27, of Brent, is on trial for the same charges. He also denies one count of taking a car without permission.

Some of the women the brothers targeted, including a domestic violence counsellor and a nanny, feared they would be raped or murdered, Mr Carmichael told the court.

Lisa Shortt, who was robbed on 13 March, managed to tell the pair how frightened she was as she had a hand clamped over her eyes and a tight grip around her neck.

Mr Carmichael said: "She was really distressed. She thought she was going to be murdered or sexually assaulted because of the violence of the attack." Ms Shortt had rings worth £15,000 stolen.

In another attack Matthew had trouble removing Sangeeta Mhaiskar's rings, so his brother Daniel said: "Take the finger off then," the court heard.

Her wedding and engagement rings were eventually stolen without such extreme action.

The prosecution says mobile phone records show the brothers were together before and after many of the robberies. The case continues.