A terrified restaurant manageress was robbed at knifepoint by a man wearing a Scream-style horror mask.

The robber was caught because she recognised his smell and realised he was the restaurant cleaner, a court heard.

Reinaldo Rocha-Lisboa staged the raid on Pizza Express at Brighton Marina after being told his cleaning hours and wages were being cut.

He bought a Halloween mask based on the film Scream from the Asda superstore at the marina in September.

Security cameras there recorded him trying the mask on before he bought it just two days after he was told his hours were being cut.

He staged the raid after manageress Roisin McGreggor had cashed up at 12.30am on October 3.

She was confronted by Rocha-Lisboa with a 10ins chopping knife from the restaurant kitchen.

Alan Eaglestone, prosecuting, said the Brazilian-born defendant was dressed in black and wearing the Scream mask.

He grabbed her, twisted her arm and forced her over a table before binding her wrists and ankles with tape which was also used to blindfold her.

Miss McGreggor later told detectives she noticed a distinctive smell from her attacker as he tied her up.

She said she heard the safe being opened and money taken out before the door at the entrance banged as if the raider had left.

Miss McGreggor struggled free from the tape and alerted the police but Rocha-Lisboa appeared moments later.

He rushed around and offered to get her a drink before officers arrived.

Mr Eaglestone said: "She immediately recognised the defendant smelled the same as the man who attacked her and tied her up.

"She told officers, 'I recognise his smell, he is the same one. Get him out, take him away.'"

A search revealed the mask, £735 in cash, clothing and receipts for the mask and tape in a cistern in the men's toilets.

Rocha-Lisboa, 27, of Lower Rock Gardens, Brighton, admitted robbery and appeared at Hove Crown Court for sentence yesterday. (mon) Mr Eaglestone said the 23-year-old victim had only just completed her management training.

She had been left traumatised by the robbery and suffered flashbacks since the attack.

In a victim impact statement, she said she still "jumps a mile" if people get too close to her.

Mr Eaglestone added: "She said she has suffered flashbacks and sees the Scream mask for a split second which scares her."

Katherine Kelsey, defending, said the defendant was upset because he had found out on the day of the robbery that he was adopted.

She added that he had also taken a tablet, believed to be Ecstasy, which had been given to him by someone else.

Rocha-Lisboa was jailed indefinitely after he was assessed to be a danger to the public.

He will not be considered for release for at least six years and may then be deported.

Judge Anthony Niblett said: "Miss McGreggor was confronted by a man with a large knife wearing a Scream halloween mask.

"She did not know it was you and she was undoubtedly terrified and in fear of her life as you subjected her to a prolonged ordeal."

Watch the Scream robber as he was caught on CCTV trying on the mask, click here.