The man who tried to rob a Monaco resident on Port Hercule last week has appeared in court and been sentenced to 10 months in jail.

The 27 year-old engaged the victim in conversation about Kylian Mbappe and asked him to take a photo of him. When the victim returned the telephone the culprit grabbed his wrist and tried to steal his Audemars Piguet watch, valued at 50,000 euros, local French daily Monaco Matin reported.

The watch bracelet held and the perpetrator fled empty-handed, but not before causing injury to the watch’s owner.

The victim shouted, he told the court: “A witness came to my rescue, the thief dropped everything and fled towards the swimming pool. Wounded and bleeding, I was taken to the CHPG.”

Within a short time the Moroccan national was spotted on Place d’Armes and was eventually cornered in the undergrowth below the Rock where he had removed some of his outer garments

Unsurprisingly, the accused had a different version of events, telling the Monaco Criminal Court that he did not know what came over him when he tried to grab the watch.

The prosecutors initially claimed that the defendant was also guilty of money-laundering, since he had 450 euros in cash on him at the time of the mugging offence and admitted it was ‘black’ money from his undeclared job as a cook in Spain.

The prosecuting counsel asked for a stiff sentence of 10 months in order to deter others, which was granted by the court.