Monkey dust man wearing a leopard print dress and red and black wig robbed bookmakers

A knife-wielding robber disguised as a woman escaped with £618 from a bookies. Serial offender Shane Crisp put on a leopard print dress and a red and black wig for the raid. The 42-year-old was high on monkey dust (Phencyclidine) when he demanded money from the cashier at a Coral's branch in the Weston Coyney suburb of Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire. But Crisp, from Meir, was recognised by staff because he is a regular customer. Now he has started a 40-month jail term. Crisp's barrister Jason Holt told Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court: "He was known by name at the bookmakers'."



The court heard Crisp ordered staff to 'Give me the money' before escaping with the money. He was handed notes and coins from the till after threatening staff with the blade. He then demanded money from the safe and left the New Kingsway outlet with £618.08. But staff managed to identify Crisp to police after seeing through his disguise of a leopard print dress and a red and black wig. Now Crisp, who has 44 convictions for 154 offences, has been jailed for three years and four months. The raid happened at 11am on June 24 when two staff were on duty.

Prosecutor Anthony Cartin said: "The defendant was wearing a black wig with red streaks in it and a leopard print dress. The staff concluded it was a man wearing a disguise. He approached the counter and demanded, 'Give me the money', while holding a knife. The manager was scared and opened the till and started placing the coin trays and notes on the counter. He took the money and demanded money from the safe. He was given the contents of that tin. He checked whether that was the safe. Satisfied it was everything in the store he left." The court heard Crisp, who had been a regular customer at the branch for years, was arrested a day later. Crisp pleaded guilty to robbery and possessing a bladed article.



Jason Holt, mitigating, said the defendant's disguise was ineffective but conceded it showed a degree of pre-planning. He said: "His life has been blighted by the use of class A drugs. This was a bookmakers' he was known to frequent. He was known by name. It was an offence he was never going to get away with. He had been using heroin and been given monkey dust. He had never used it before. It made him act in bizarre ways. As a result he committed this offence." Crisp has also been ordered to pay a £900 criminal court charge and a £120 surcharge. Jailing Crisp, Recorder Michael Burrows QC said: "You produced a large knife and demanded money. The staff were scared and shocked. The fact you wore a wig shows an element of planning."