Actress leaves London over safety fears after theft
A Bridgerton actress has moved out of London because she says she no longer feels safe after her phone was stolen.
Genevieve Chenneour, 27, said she had experienced "an ongoing sense of fear and instability" following the theft in Joe and the Juice on Kensington High Street on 8 February.
"I was threatened with being stabbed, and although the video circulating online shows only a brief, less violent clip, it does not reflect the real trauma I experienced," Chenneour said in a statement.
On Tuesday, Zacariah Boulares, 18, was sentenced at Isleworth Crown Court to 22 months in jail for common assault and three counts of theft.
Chenneour said that she has "recurring nightmares" about the theft of her phone.
"I wake myself up mid-fight, re-enacting the moment I thought I was about to be attacked," she said.
"I now experience intense anxiety, flinching when people come close to me and hypervigilance, particularly when walking alone or in public. It has made daily life in London feel unsafe.
"I've left London. For the first time since I was 15, I've gone back to live with my mum.
"I stay in hotels when I work in London because I no longer feel safe calling west London home as a single woman. I've avoided public transport, changed my routines, and I'm currently exploring therapy options.
"All of this has had a profound impact on my quality of life - emotionally, practically, and professionally. I'm sharing this in the hope it helps convey the weight of what happened beyond the surface-level facts."
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