A man who stole £25 from a Maidstone hairdressers at the point of a knife is now behind bars.

Aaron Hudson, 19, burst into Ferdies Hairdressers in Sandling Road, Maidstone, wearing a gas mask and brandishing a knife.

As well as £25 from the till, he took jewellery from a customer valued at £600.

Officers searched the nearby area and in Perryfield Street found a discarded knife, shoes and gas mask. In addition there was a bottle of white spirit and a box of matches, and officers believe Hudson had been attempting to discard the property by burning it.

They were able to identify him through DNA on the discarded items, and Hudson, of High Street, Chatham, was charged with robbery and possession of an offensive weapon.

He pleaded guilty at Maidstone Crown Court and was sentenced to three years and four months in a young offenders’ institution.

The robbery happened on February 5.

DS Lucky Chahal from Kent Police said: “This must have been an incredibly frightening scenario for the victims to be faced with; a man wielding a knife and demanding money and jewellery, disguising his face with a gas mask.

“With the property we recovered we were able to quickly identify Hudson as the prime suspect and he was arrested five days after the offence.

“I’m pleased for the victims that a custodial sentence has been imposed. I think it reflects the seriousness of the offence.”