A transsexual wearing a mini skirt and women's knickers on his head robbed a petrol station in New Malden twice in three weeks, brandishing a large knife.

Chloe Bradley, 23, a pre-operation male to female transsexual, admitted holding up the Texaco garage, in Kingston Road, on two separate occasions and stealing more than £100.

Kingston Crown Court heard how Bradley, who has had hormone treatment and changed his name to Chloe, walked into the Texaco garage at 4.45am on December 12 last year.

He was wearing a pair of jeans with a mini skirt over the top, and a pair of flesh-coloured women's knickers on his head with eye-holes cut out.

He jumped over the counter, terrifying the cashier, and stole an unknown quantity of money from the till.

Leaving the petrol station, he took off his jeans, leaving just the mini skirt on in what police believe was an attempt to give them the slip.

Nearly three weeks later, on December 31, Bradley returned to the same Texaco garage at 4.20am, again wearing women's knickers on his head.

Threatening the cashier, this time with a large kitchen knife, he again jumped over the counter and stole about £100 from the till.

When CCTV images of the armed robber were circulated among Kingston police officers, Bradley, who used to work behind the bar at Woody's pub in New Malden, was recognised and arrested on suspicion of robbery.

Despite the seriousness of the crime, Kingston magistrates later bailed Bradley to an address in Thetford Road, New Malden, due to the uncertainty of whether to remand Bradley in a male or female prison.

In March this year, the address became no longer suitable for bail and Bradley was remanded in Wandsworth, a male prison, to await trial.

Bradley will be sentenced at Kingston Crown Court on October 4.