Firstly, I want to say thank you to the OP for informing this forum about this incident, it must not have been an easy thing to do. I'm glad that the situation was not more serious and severe than it could have been.
This scenario has been my biggest punting fear for many, many years and I feel so fucking lucky and fortunate that this has never happened to me. If any of the regulars here can remember my posts in the past, I choose some of the cheapest and dodgiest punts available on AW, so the chances of this happening to me are quite high because of this.
I have not punted in awhile and reading this post is the cherry on top for my decision to quit the punting life, something that I have been considering for most of this year.
I've read half of the thread pages on this post and surprised to see many ask why you did not challenge them/fight back etc. but I don't think you know how you will react in this situation. Who knows, some of the many homicides in the capital this year could have possibly been punting related. Personally, my punting habit is deep associated with my total lack of self-esteem and suicidal tendencies and I probably would have stupidly tried to fight them, not for being a hero but the mode I am in when punting is one that is very chaotic and reckless. It makes me even more grateful that I haven't experienced a situation like this before and now, in a very different place (more positive mentally), I feel like this is a reason for me not to return to punts.
Recalling some dodgy punts I've had over the last few years, a few spring to mind. There was one on Askew Road earlier this year in which I was greeted at the door by a man with a scar across half of his face and the girl waiting halfway up the stairs. He was very scrawny and short, the opposite of me so I still entered and followed the girl to the top floor, with the guy entering the flat on the middle floor. After my punt the girl lead me down to the middle floor where the same guy walked me down to the street level, the middle floor flat door was open and there was about 6 or 7 guys playing cards and drinking. The man who escorted me from middle floor to street and visa versa was actually smiley and pleasant but this could have easily been a different situation.
I have punted in many council estates late at night and places that anyone with an ounce of common sense would have avoided. Estates in Croydon, Ilford, Walthomstow, Harrow, Hounslow, Brixton etc. but I actually never had any issues with these places, other than it looked dodgy. The punts were actually some of the best.
Forgot to add: I have never had a 'punting' phone and have always taken everything with me. Expensive phone, wallet with cards, cash, vape, weed etc. Reckless yes but like I have mentioned above my mental state in choosing to punt has never been in the place to think of being cautious.
There's a brothel I've been a few times in Harrow and Wealdstone that has a ridiculously dodgy way to enter. The flat is above a row of shops but to enter you have to go around the back and at night it is pitch black. I still did this and used my phone torch. Again, never had any issues here but it could have easily been different. I actually punted here in day time and at the back of the houses, there's burnt out cars and gangs hanging around which made me question my mental state even more for going previously at night time.
Most recently I nearly punted about 7 weeks ago with someone in a caravan/mobile home near Osterly. But once I approached it in the distance it was full of about 5 or 6 men standing outside, which could have been punters but again it was like another wake up call to what the fuck I am actually doing with my life. Just like reading the OP's post was.
Once again thank you for sharing and I hope all of you stay safe out there.