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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Kelley Price & Matthew Dresch

Woman, 24, suffers 'panic attacks' after man sat behind her on bus and cut off her hair

A woman is suffering from panic attacks after a man cut a chunk of her hair off while sitting behind her on a bus.

Jessie Thomas, from Ingleby Barwick, in North Yorks, is too frightened to get on a bus again after the incident on February 12.

The 24-year-old only realised her hair had been hacked off when she returned home from work in Middlesbrough that night.

The hairdresser realised that a bizarre 'Velcro sound' she had heard on the bus was the man cutting her hair, TeessideLive reports.

She had noticed the man move three rows forward and sit in the seat behind just before the incident.

The creepy man cut a three-inch chunk out of her hair (Gazette)

He followed her after they both got off at Middlesbrough Bus Station, but hurried away when she "turned and looked at him".

Cleveland Police has confirmed a 24-year-old man was arrested in connection with the incident, but the case was closed "pending any further information coming to light".

Jessie says she wants the man who cut her hair brought to justice.

"I'd been working a shift at Ku in Stockton the night before and I was tired," she told Teesside Live.

"I got on a bus and was half asleep, when you're not nodding off but you are not quite there. A lad who got on the bus before me sat three rows back got up and moved right behind me.

"I thought 'this is really weird' considering the bus was pretty much empty. But we get told a lot that we are being paranoid - don't we - so I was like 'it doesn't matter, it's fine'.

"I got off and was walking round the bus station, a lot of people go straight through Poundland.

"This lad was being a bit weird, so instead I walked the long way round.

"I was staring at him in windows, he was very close to me. I moved to one side and turned and looked at him, all of a sudden he took massive steps and carried on walking.

"I got to work and thought 'you know what, it's just some creepy guy it's over and done with'." It wasn't until Jessie got home later and was getting ready for another shift at the club when she noticed her hair.

"A huge chunk had gone," she said, "it was about three inches thick. I have extensions, it was about £70 worth. I'd only had them in for a day. I do extensions for a living."

Terrifyingly, Jessie says she looks back now and realises she heard the sound of her hair being cut - and felt her hair being moved.

"When I was sat on the bus, I heard what sounded like Velcro. It clicked afterwards in my head that that was scissors going through my hair," she said.

"At one point, he'd moved my hair over my shoulder and I felt something but I couldn't figure out what.

"I just went back to playing my game, I thought it was nothing. I was in so much shock, it's brought back so much anxiety, I'm having panic attacks.

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"It freaks me out. He must live near me, it's crazy. I want him done for it. Or at least an apology at this point.

"I got on the bus to work for the first time yesterday and the panic was real but I powered through, with my family cheering me on."

A spokeswoman for Cleveland Police said: "A report was received from a woman that her hair had been cut whilst she was asleep on a bus on Saturday, February 12.

"We understand that this was a distressing incident for the woman and a thorough investigation was carried out, including CCTV enquiries.

"The victim was kept updated on the investigation and as part of enquiries a 24-year-old man was arrested and interviewed in connection with the incident.

"The case has now been closed pending any further information coming to light."

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