A HAIRDRESSER helped to disguise a gang of violent robbers in Britain’s biggest cash robbery, a court has heard.

Michael Demetris, aged 32, of Bromley Common, Bromley, helped eight accomplices carry out the £53m raid at the Securitas depot in Tonbridge, it is claimed.

A jury at the Old Bailey heard Demetris worked with make-up artist Michelle Hogg, an employee at his hair salon in Forest Hill, to disguise the gang before the raid in February 2006.

The court was told Demetris made hairpieces for the robbers while Hogg designed latex masks.

As news of the robbery broke, Demetris allegedly went to visit Hogg.

Prosecutor Sir John Nutting said: “As he entered her flat he asked her how it felt to be part of history.”

Stuart Royle, aged 48, from Maidstone; Jetmir Bucpapa, aged 26, from Tonbridge; Lea Rusha, aged 35, from Southborough; Emir Hysenaj, aged 28, from Crowborough, East Sussex, and Roger Coutts, aged 30, from Welling, were convicted for their parts in the robbery earlier this year.

Hogg testified against gang members at the previous trial after the prosecution agreed to drop the charges against her.

Demetris and Paul Allen, aged 30, from Chatham, are on trial while the alleged mastermind, 29-year-old cage fighter Lee Murray from Sidcup, remains in a Moroccan jail awaiting extradition.

The court heard Rusha and Murray were to disguise themselves as police officers and kidnap depot manager Colin Dixon and his family.

They had their faces and hair altered to prevent them being recognised.

Royle, who drove a 7.5 tonne truck to the depot so it could be used to carry off the cash, was also given a mask, the court heard.

While Demetris made up the hairpieces, Hogg took a week preparing and making the masks, the court was told.

After the raid on February 21, Hogg threw away the material used to make the disguises but it was later recovered from her rubbish bin.

In the bin scientists found DNA links to Demetris, Allen, Murray and Rusha, the court heard.

Demetris and Allen both deny conspiracy to rob, conspiracy to kidnap and conspiracy to possess firearms.