Elderly woman, 87, suffered fractured hip during terrifying robbery at Brighouse hair salon

A judge heard how the owner of the salon, who had run the business for three decades, was also injured during the mid-morning raid in December 2018 and she had subsequently shut the premises to work as a mobile hairdresser.

Today Huddersfield duo Royston Thomas, 37, and 43-year-old Aaron Bonner were jailed for six years and five years respectively after they admitted robbery charges over the targeted attack on the hair salon.

Prosecutor Clare Walsh told Bradford Crown Court that the owner and two of her elderly clients had been in the Fresh Hair Salon on Bonegate Road when Thomas and Bonner barged in.

One of the men grabbed the owner by the jumper and pulled her around as the pair demanded money.

When the 87-year-old customer tried to get to the door to get help she was flung onto the floor fracturing her hip.

During the robbery the intruders stole about £100 in coins and notes as well as the elderly victim’s handbag, but after fleeing the scene in a car they were spotted by police in Huddersfield and arrested after the vehicle crashed.

The court heard that when officers arrived at the salon the owner was in great distress and the elderly woman was still on the floor “subdued and moaning in pain”.

The salon owner suffered bruising to her face and arms and in her victim personal statement she said that she had run the salon for 30 years but after the robbery she was too afraid to be there on her own.

She said she closed it and now ran a mobile hairdressing business.

The son of the injured customer said she was independent and confident before she was robbed and her favourite time of the week was going to the hairdresser.

He said was in hospital for a long time afterwards and then needed care at home.

The court heard she had suffered repeated falls and her life had never been the same since.

Bonner, of Celandine Avenue, Huddersfield, and Thomas, of Gilbert Grove, Crosland Moor, Huddersfield, pleaded guilty to the robbing the salon and the elderly customer.

Bonner admitted possession of a small knife which he had on him when he was arrested.

Thomas pleaded guilty to having heroin and crack cocaine on him when he was detained by police.

Miss Walsh said that Thomas went on to rob another elderly woman in March last year when she was walking along Bradford Road, Huddersfield.

During that handbag snatch, which he also admitted, Thomas pushed his 76-year-old victim and left her pale and shaken.

The court heard that Thomas had 44 previous convictions for more than 70 offences including robbery and burglary.

Bonner had 14 previous convictions for 18 offences also including robbery and house burglary.

Thomas’ barrister Aubrey Sampson said he was unable to recall the robberies because his head was “messed up” at the time.

He conceded that Thomas was taking drugs every day and did not care how he got money to feed his habit.

Bonner’s barrister Jemima Stephenson said he was remorseful and disgusted with himself and had since turned his life around with the help of a very supportive partner.

She said he was a drug addict at the time, but he had subsequently got himself completely clean because he did not want to live that life any more.

Recorder Jeremy Barnett said the salon robbery was “a particularly nasty offence” and the pair had targeted vulnerable people.

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