AN ARMED robber used a variety of bizarrefancy dress disguises – including a fisherman, Elvis and a hockey player – during raids at bookmakers across the country, a court has heard.
Martin Reilly, 53, of no fixed address, admitted a series of gunpoint robberies where he used various costumes to escape with thousands of pounds of cash.
CCTV images show Reilly inside and outside different Ladbrokes and Coral stores disguising himself with a series of fancy dress outfits using masks, fake beards, sunglasses, sideburns and wigs.
But in the dock at Lewes Crown Court on Friday wearing a beige fleece and bald he was barely recognisable from the footage.
The court heard he made off with £23,000 from bookies in Sussex, Hampshire, Surrey, Bedfordshire, Essex and most recently London after starting his four-month crime spree at Coral bookmakers in Kettering, Northants, on June 13 last year.
The hockey mask was used on a raid on a Ladbrokes in Bedford on September 28, in which GBP640 was stolen. The Elvis disguise was used at a Brighton on July 11, where he escaped with £2780.
Speaking after the hearing, Detective Inspector Ian Still of Sussex Police, who led the investigation, said: “This is a great result following a very thorough investigation across a number of police forces and led by Sussex Police.
“The fact he has pleaded guilty to 15 out of 20 charges shows how thorough the investigation was.
“This sends a strong message to anyone looking to commit an offence in Sussex. No stone will be left unturned in tracking them down and they will face a significant sentence when caught.
“This was a demanding investigation but one of which was particularly satisfying, knowing that we have stopped them from reoffending and there will be no further victims.”
Judge Anthony Scott-Gall adjourned sentencing for psychiatric reports but said jail was inevitable.
In total Reilly admitted seven counts of robbery or attempted robbery and eight counts of possession of an imitation firearm.
Reilly remanded in custody until sentencing at Lewes Crown Court on April 2.
