Mo Farah’s brother jailed for 4 years after he stole £500 from Travelodge despite staff helping him when he walked in injured
MO Farah's brother has been caged for four years after stealing £500 from Travelodge staff who tried helping him when he stumbled in with a bleeding head.
Omar Farah, who had watched as his brother won gold at the London 2012 Olympics, took £400 from a receptionist's pocket at the hotel before threatening him.
The 25-year-old then took a further £100 after rifling through the petty cash drawer at the Travelodge, reports.
Farah, who has a string of convictions for burglary and theft, has now been jailed for four years after admitting robbery and theft.
Isleworth Crown Court heard that Farah walked into the hotel in Wembley, North London, accompanied by a woman.
When staff saw he had blood pouring from his head, one offered to call an ambulance while the male receptionist took him to get cleaned up.
But Farah - who was on licence for a previous burglary at the time - took £400 cash from the worker's front pocket before telling him: "Don't come near me or I’ll f*** you up".
He then walked back into the lobby and went through drawers behind the desk where he stole a further £100.
The criminal was later arrested while receiving treatment in an ambulance for the head wound.
Four-time gold medallist Mo has tried to help steer his half-brother away from a lifetime of crime and told him to "change his life".
The thief has 19 previous convictions for 25 offences - including burglary, robbery and handling stolen goods.
He was jailed in 2016 for burglary and theft but released early last December and had previously served 15 months in 2014 after being caught trying to break into an elderly couple's home.
Farah, who shares a dad with Mo, also spent time on remand after being arrested during the London riots in 2011.
Their dad Mukhtar fled war-torn Somalia in 1993 with Mo and met Omar's mum Fosiya Mohamed after they settled in London.
He has previously spoken about the support he has received from older brother Mo, who invited him to the 2012 games so he could watch him take gold in the 10,000 metres.
Farah said: "Mo’s success has inspired me to do something with my life. I don’t want to doss around and get in trouble with the police.
"I’m moving forward with my life and I have Mo to thank.
"My dad said, 'Why can’t you be more like Mo?' and that’s what I aim to do now."
During mitigation, his lawyer Chandrika Deshpande said he was due to become a dad for the first time and said Farah couldn't remember what had happened that night.
Farah, who appeared via video link from Wormwood Scrubs prison, was sentenced to four years for robbery and eight months for theft to be served concurrently.
He will serve two years behind bars before being released again on licence.
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Sentencing, His Honour Judge Ferris said: "The two victims of your crimes that night suffered, and may continue to suffer, psychological harm.
"The threat of violence was implicit in your demeanour and physical build.
"While I do not consider you dangerous, these so called specimen offences for which you appear could put you in danger of a finding that you are dangerous."
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