Man who tried to rob salon was recognised as customer

Staff recognised James Tonkin after the hood covering his face slipped while he tried to rob the shop in Boothferry Road in Hull.

The three hairdressers, Pamela Smith, Tracey Everard and Amanda Boyeson, fought off the 22-year-old, who, it later emerged, had stolen the knife he was carrying from his mother's dishwasher six days after threatening to kill her with it.

He was jailed to four years after pleading guilty at Hull Crown Court to robbery.

Tonkin, who is 6ft, attempted the raid at Tracey Jayne's Hair Design on November 20, threatening Mrs Smith, who was sitting at the reception desk, with a 12in knife, and demanding: "Give me your money."

She grabbed the till to protect it as he scrabbled for the cash. The others then tried to grapple him as he made his getaway, with one tip box.

Salon owner Tracey Everard, who had been doing a customer's hair, said: "Pamela was sitting at the reception desk and said 'We haven't got any money'.

"We turned round when we heard what Pamela had said and realised he had this big knife with him.

"The three of us then started shouting at him. I was furious and thought 'how dare you?'.

"I said 'Get out my shop, get out my salon, get out.' He looked a bit shocked and dropped the knife."

Tonkin tried to take three of the salon's tip jars but Mrs Smith snatched two away from him. Mrs Boyeson told him to put the other back, which contained just 5. Instead he made to leave the shop but was grabbed by Mrs Everard.

"I grabbed his shoulder and told him again to put the jar back," she said. "I don't know what I was thinking of doing. Then I realised he was over 6ft tall and had a huge knife and I thought 'Let him go.'"

When Tonkin dropped his knife the mask slipped, revealing more of his face and Mrs Boyeson recognised him.

"He had been in the salon and had his hair cut a few times. We couldn't believe it. It was bizarre," Mrs Everard said. "She was shouting at him 'We know who you are.'"

It wasn't until the incident was over the three women realised how much danger they could have been in. "Our friends and families and the customers

who were in the shop at the time have all said how brave we

are," Mrs Everard said. "But you don't feel brave when it happens; you don't really think about

it."

Tonkin was caught after he

was overheard bragging to youths in the area about the robbery and was arrested in a nearby garden.