Winifred Peel — a 77-year-old woman from Bromborough, Wirral — caught international attention in June 2025 when she managed to fight off three teenagers who tried to rob her at an ATM. During their sentencing, Peel finally opened up about how the experience has changed her life for good.
At first glance, Peel looks like your regular, everyday pensioner — neck-length gray hair, spectacles, unassuming, and for someone nearing 80, still remarkably fit. But to the three young men, all they saw was vulnerability, probably bad memory and an easy target. They were in for a rude awakening.
The three teenagers were identified as Felix Stoica, 19, Piper Dumitru, 18, and Florin Geblescu, 18. According to Amplify, they would drive around their area looking for what they described as “easy targets.” You can imagine how perfectly Peel, alone at an ATM, seemed to fit the description during their sinister stakeout.
Their plan was simple: two of the men would approach Peel at the ATM and intimidate her into withdrawing cash while Dumitru stood a few strides away as a lookout. The first sign that they had picked the wrong target should have been Peel’s lack of fear or intimidation.
Still, the two young men reportedly shoved her around and forced her to withdraw £200. That’s when Peel took hold of one of the men’s collars and banged his head three times against the ATM. Realizing the situation had turned against them, the three fled the scene — but not before CCTV cameras captured the entire altercation, including their faces. CCTV’s penchant for catching almost everything has long been the number one deterrent to getting away with crime.
The investigation later revealed that it was Stoica who bore the brunt of Peel’s counterattack and learned a hard lesson in the process. To make matters worse, he received the longest sentence — two years at a young offenders’ institution. Geblescu was sentenced to 18 months, while Dumitru received eight months behind bars, where he’ll have plenty of time to “keep watch” as the world passes by.
The judge told the trio, “You targeted a vulnerable victim, a lady who was 77 years of age… Notwithstanding her age, she resisted. There was a struggle before you made good your escape. This is a lady who is in the twilight of life, and you have cast a deep shadow over that.” Teen crime is becoming disturbingly common in this era, and while they are still learning, it’s also important that they understand the concept of consequence as well.
But what struck people most was Peel’s reaction. Though hailed as a hero across the world, she revealed that she didn’t see the story as heroic at all. She’s still 77, and at that age, what most people worry about is forgetting their grandchild’s name — not surviving an assault. “They did not care about how this would affect me,” Peel said. “I would definitely say this has changed my life. I will never have the confidence I once did. I only hope my confidence returns.”
