A crack addict who stalked wealthy women in some of London’s most affluent areas before robbing them was warned that he faced life in prison yesterday.

Daniel Mykoo, 28, looked for victims in areas such as Hampstead, St John’s Wood and Chelsea, sometimes using his brother, Matthew, 27, to help him as they tried to feed their £12,000-a-month drug habit.

He attacked the women from behind and throttled them as his brother ripped off their earrings, necklaces and watches.

Nicole Farhi, the fashion designer, was one of his victims. She had a Rolex watch of “sentimental value” stolen as well as a diamond ring and cash when she was attacked at knifepoint on her doorstep in April last year.

A senior police officer said that it was only by luck that Daniel Mykoo did not kill any of his victims.

Between them the brothers, originally from the French Caribbean, attacked 19 women and one man aged 60 between March and June last year.

Judge Nicholas Browne, at Wood Green Crown Court, said: “I warn you in very clear terms that an indeterminate sentence for public protection is virtually inevitable bearing in mind the number of victims and the fact that these robberies were of the most serious type I have ever encountered.

“The sentence which I impose on you will be measured in many years — I don’t rule out a life sentence.”

John Carmichael, for the prosecution, said: “They almost always preyed upon women, women alone, most of whom were either wealthy or at least had the appearance of some wealth. These victims, having been targeted and followed, were attacked in a manner which has such a coincidence of method to mark them out as a team — a strangler-robber team.”

Ms Farhi had told the jury that she was walking to her house when she saw Daniel Mykoo.

“I walked very quickly to my front door. Then I heard some footsteps. I was facing the door and I had my house keys in my hand. The footsteps were very fast and then one hand came on to my eyes and the other on to my throat. He squeezed and I fainted.

“I fell on top of him and I remember my last thought before I fell was, ‘How stupid to die in front of my house’. I fell on top of him and we broke the glass pane on the porch.”

Ms Farhi said that she came round shortly after one of the robbers had scratched her wrist as he was removing her Rolex watch.

“I had both arms held by two guys, one taking the ring and the other one the watch. The one with the watch had the knife, a small penknife. I was frightened, I said to them, ‘Don’t cut me, don’t cut me’. I started speaking louder and louder and they said ‘let’s go’ because I was getting too loud.”

Matthew Mykoo, of Brent, North London, was unanimously convicted of seven robberies, having previously admitted two attacks. He was cleared of eight attacks, including the attack on Ms Farhi.

Daniel Mykoo, of Fulham, West London, had earlier admitted 19 attacks, including the one on Ms Farhi.

Detective Constable Reg Pickering, who led the investigation, said: “Some of the victims thought they were going to die as they were being strangled outside their homes. It was an absolutely terrifying experience that has left many of them extremely traumatised.

“Daniel Mykoo in particular is an extremely dangerous individual who has the potential to kill somebody by his method of strangling his victims to incapacitate them. I am delighted that these two highly dangerous career criminals are now behind bars and will be off the streets for some considerable time.”

The men will be sentenced next month.

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