A man whose face was masked was able to rob a bank because the manager did not feel comfortable approaching him as she feared he had a skin condition and did not want to cause offence.

Simon Jones, 38, stood quietly in a queue in a Country Durham Natwest branch alongside other customers for 15 minutes wearing blue latex gloves, a pulled-up hooded top, a facemask and dark glasses whilst carrying a bottle of Febreze and a holdall.

The bank’s manager, Gemma Hughes, asked only whether she could help him as he stood in line, Durham Crown court was told.

When reaching the front of the line, Jones told the cashier he had acid and a bomb, before forcing her to place £370 in his bag.

Ms Hughes had even tried to hand over a decoy £1,000 bundle containing a tracking device, but it failed to work.

Jones was able to escape and police only managed to track him down after members of the public reported what his car looked like.

Prosecuting, Jane Waugh told the court: “The manager approached the defendant as he waited in the queue and asked if she could help him. He replied no.”

Judge Christopher Prince questioned Miss Waugh about the manager’s actions, adding: “So it was a hot day, he was wearing a coat with the hood up, carrying a big bottle of Febreze, wearing sunglasses, a facemask, blue plastic gloves and yet he was just observed as he made his way to the front of the queue where Victoria Smith was left to be threatened by a man who said he had a bomb and acid?”