Drunk Window Cleaner Holds Up Bank - Takes Hostages, Not Clients

Bank hostage drama - Window Cleaner 'held up cashiers with toy gun and fake bomb and took 15 hostages': The man accused of taking 15 people hostage in a three-hour bank siege held them up with a toy gun and a fake bomb, a court heard today. Matthew Nutley, 36, is alleged to have stormed into the bank brandishing a children's plastic Nerf gun which fires harmless sponge balls and foam darts. The alleged raider, who was also said to be carrying a six inch kitchen knife, fooled terrified staff into handing over cash, claiming that a fake explosive device he had made with rubbish was a real bomb, it was claimed.



Today the suspect appeared in court for the first time to face eight charges of false imprisonment, possession of an imitation firearm and an offensive weapon, blackmail, making a bomb hoax and threats to kill. Prosecutors told Staines Magistrates Court that the man had threatened to shoot bank manager Jonathan Hall and customer Daniel Beedell with the toy gun, which had been spray painted black. He also told police and bank staff that he had planted a bomb in Barclays Bank in Ashford, near Heathrow, magistrates heard.



Yesterday the accused shuffled into court flanked by two prison guards. Nutley, who was wearing a hooded Harlequins Rugby Club sweater, spoke only to confirm his name and address, telling magistrates that he could not hear proceedings because he was deaf in one ear. He showed no emotion as the eight charges relating to the dramatic siege were read to him.

Swarms of armed officers, police helicopters, fire engines and ambulances were called to the bank at 4pm on Monday following reports that a man had entered the building with a gun. The Royal Logistics Bomb Disposal team was also scrambled and surrounding buildings were evacuated amid fears that he had planted a bomb. For hours trained hostage negotiators were locked in talks with the armed raider who appeared to be drunk. Hostages have told how the robber tried to ply them with vodka and forced them to don boiler suits in a bid to confuse police.

After three hours, the masked raider wearing a boiler suit and welding goggles, freed the hostages and surrendered to armed police. None of the hostages were injured in the siege, which has been compared to Spike Lee's hit crime thriller, Inside Man. In the film Dalton Russell, played by British actor Clive Owen leads a gang into a New York bank in painters overalls. They force their hostages to don identical overalls and hide out amongst them when police storm the building to evade capture.



Today it emerged that Nutley worked as a volunteer fundraiser for the charity to help wounded members of the armed forces, Help the Heroes. Neighbours said the window cleaner claimed to have raised hundreds of pounds for the charity and was often seen around his home in Ashford driving a van with the words 'Help for Heroes' on the side. Yesterday his mother Ann refused to comment at her home in Ashford. Nutley was remanded into custody. He will face trial at Guildford Crown Court on September 1 this year.



With the bank in Ashford, Middlesex, sealed, the gunman produced more boiler suits and told the hostages to put them on. He handed out cans of paint and told everyone to spray the windows so nobody could see inside. Their hands were then bound with cable ties. Within minutes the building was surrounded by armed cops. Josh Williams, 20, said: "We heard police cars screeching down the road. The cops jumped out with their guns and got behind their cars." A helicopter circled as a negotiator was brought in. Ten hostages were released. But it was not until 7pm that the gunman emerged - calmly smoking a cigarette. He was cuffed and bundled into a police van. Police said nobody was hurt.