Asylum Seeker Busted After Oxford Crime Spree – Jailed 21 Months
Oxford College Targeted in High-Stakes Theft
Faida Elhabib, 31, an asylum seeker from Morocco, has been sentenced to 21 months behind bars after a daring theft at Oxford University’s elite Magdalen College. The crook made off with nearly £3,000 worth of jewellery, electronics, and food from the Professor’s House, a court heard.
Vandalism Shocks Oxford Botanic Gardens
Elhabib didn’t stop at burglary. In June 2024, he broke into a greenhouse at Oxford’s Botanic Gardens and wreaked havoc on rare, endangered plants. Disturbingly, the court was told he even bit one of these priceless specimens, causing permanent damage.
Criminal Record Ignored by Defence as Judge Hands Down Hard Time
Living in an asylum hotel in Luton, Bedfordshire, Elhabib’s checkered past includes 11 previous convictions covering 16 offences. His lawyer tried to downplay the offences, claiming Elhabib “does not remember these events.”
“He doesn’t know why he disturbed the plants and he doesn’t remember biting one,” said Peter Du Feu, mitigation counsel.
But the judge was unmoved, slamming Elhabib with a tough 21-month jail term for theft and vandalism combined.
