A shop raider armed with a knife threatened to slit a worker's throat then laughed and pulled "crazy faces" because he wanted to be jailed.
Andrew Lamb, who was consuming an average of eight bottles of wine a day, went into the store armed with a pink knife, which he terrified a worker with before stealing ice cream, alcohol and cigarettes. But a court heard the 49-year-old's motivation was not financial gain but rather to get locked up so he could get help to tackle his drink problem.
Newcastle Crown Court heard, Lamb, of King George Avenue, Gateshead, who has just one previous conviction, has benefitted from being remanded in custody but his victim was left terrified.
Read more: Arthur's Hill killer admits stabbing man to death in West End of Newcastle
The man was working at a Costcutters store in Dunston, Gateshead, on January 25 this year at 8.20pm when Lamb came in. He picked up two bottles of wine and asked for cigarettes and a lighter.
Omar Ahmad, prosecuting, said: "The defendant briefly walked away from the counter then returned seconds later and brandished a large pink kitchen knife with a 15cm blade from his pocket. He demanded he open the till but he refused.
"He pushed through a side door behind the till, causing the worker to move out of the other side onto the main shop floor. A witness in the shop had phoned the police.
"The defendant ignored the victim's requests to leave and told him 'I'll slit your throat'. He was waving the knife around making crazy faces and grinning and laughing.
"He picked up two bottles of wine, two packets of cigarettes and some ice cream before leaving. A number of people were outside and he was waving the knife around saying 'stay away from me.'"
The shop worker followed him to a nearby bus stop, where he was arrested. The victim said in a statement read to the court: "This has left me feeling very shaken and has taken a long time to process.
"I feel anxious and apprehensive about going back to work in the shop. I feel myself reliving it."
The man, who said he fell victim to a similar incident in 2018, added: "I fear this man will come back and in all honesty I'm fearful of anyone coming into the shop with a knife."
When Lamb was interviewed by police, he admitted the offence, saying he had an alcohol problem and wanted to go to prison to get help and he said he would not have used the knife. He said he had consumed two bottles of whisky, which he doesn't usually drink.
Lamb, whose only previous conviction is for drink driving last March, pleaded guilty to robbery and possessing a bladed article and was jailed for two years and eight months.
Judge Penny Moreland told him: "People like the complainant are very vulnerable to offences such as the offence you were about to commit. You went into the store armed with a knife and you threatened him with it, you threatened to slit his throat.
"The robbery must have been very, very frightening for him. On the other hand, I understand you are a man who is relatively lightly convicted and I understand the background was not financial gain but desperation, borne out of your addiction and I accept you are sorry for what you did."
Jane Foley, defending, said: "The facts are very sad indeed. This is a man who is 49 years old and he has limited involvement with the criminal justice system previously.
"As a result of his severe alcohol addiction, he actually wanted to go to prison and it's been to his benefit to go to prison. It's a terrible set of circumstances that a man of his age is so desperate to get help he behaves in this way.
"He was consuming an average of eight bottles of wine a day, which is horrifying to say the least."
READ NEXT
- Nikki Allan 'skipped to her death' before being bludgeoned with brick and knifed 37 times
- Nikki Allan murder: Sketches of suspect show alleged 'striking resemblance' to accused
- Nikki Allan murder: Witness heard 'piercing screams' from area where schoolgirl's body was found
- Nikki Allan murder: Forensic scientist says bleeding youngster was dragged to cellar after attack
Nikki Allan suffered 'enormous' number of stab wounds and part of her skull was in fragments
