A KNIFE-WIELDING shop robber was unmasked as a woman when the owner gave chase, punched her in the face and her balaclava flew off.

Balbir Singh thought the masked raider was a man, and a schoolboy in the newsagents at the time also shouted to a passer-by: “He’s got a knife.”

It was not until Mr Singh caught up with the suspect and delivered the powerful blow that the true identity of Shelley Williams became known.

Williams still managed to escape from the scene, however, when she pretended she had an armed accomplice and yelled: “Shoot him, shoot him.”

Fearing for his safety, the Billingham shop boss allowed 33-year-old Williams to escape, but she was soon caught nearby by police.

Her haul of £500 in cash, cigarettes, scratchcards and mobile phone sim cards was recovered by Mr Singh, customers and others living close by.

Williams had gone into Low Grange News at 8am, threatened worker Elizabeth Monacsi with the knife and rifled through the till and displays.

The schoolboy in the shop alerted another customer as he entered, and he blocked the door to stop Williams escaping, Teesside Crown Court heard.

The hooded intruder fled through a side door with her loot, but the police and Mr Singh had been called and Mr Singh gave chase when he arrived.

Only a week before the October 5 hold-up, Williams ransacked the home of her nextdoor neighbour in Sledmere Close, Billingham.

Later that day, she bumped into her neighbour and in pseudo-sympathy said how sorry she was to hear of the burglary. The court heard that Williams was arrested for the break-in two days later, and some of the stolen goods were found in her loft.

She was bailed after being quizzed and had been given a suspended prison sentence for affray a fortnight earlier, but went on to commit the robbery.

Williams, now of Norton Avenue, in Stockton, admitted the robbery and burglary as well as a charge of possessing an offensive weapon.

She was jailed for five-anda- half years after Judge Peter Bowers heard she had a criminal record containing more than 130 offences.

Rod Hunt, mitigating, said Williams was able to stay out of trouble when she was not taking drugs, and made the most of her time behind bars, adding: “It’s sad that someone who was becoming institutionalised was able to break that habit and has fallen back into this sort of behaviour.

“She is thoroughly ashamed of what she has done. She has a good insight into the victims and has great sorrow for what she has put them through.”