A KNIFE-WIELDING Coatbridge man ordered a tanning salon owner to lie down and robbed her of cash.
The terrified woman thought Jonathan Elliott was a customer when he turned up at the Motherwell premises.
But he brandished a kitchen knife and put her through a terrifying ordeal, Hamilton Sheriff Court heard last week.
Elliott, 31, of High Coats, was jailed for 21 months after he admitted robbing the woman of £130 at Kilgours on June 7 last year.
Jennifer McLaren, prosecuting, said: "She was awaiting her next customer and heard someone come in about 4.40pm. She thought it was the customer.
"Elliott had his hood up and seemed to be trying to conceal his identity.
"She asked if she could help him and he muttered something. Then she saw he had a kitchen knife which he pointed at her.
"He said several times that he wanted money and the woman retrieved a cash tin and offered to him.
"He refused to take it so she opened the till and gave him £130."
Ms McLaren said Elliott, still brandishing the knife, then instructed the salon owner to lie down on the floor.
She was "fearful" and told him: "Please take what you want. Don't hurt me."
Elliott left the salon and the woman fled to a nearby shop where the alarm was raised.
Police, who had been given a description of the robber, searched the area and found him nearby. They recovered the money from him.
Elliott has no previous convictions, but Sheriff Alasdair MacFadyen said the crime was so serious that only a prison sentence was appropriate.
He reduced that from 28 months to 21 because of the accused's guilty plea.
