CCTV footage captured the shocking moment a tourist from Manchester pulled out a 10-inch knife on a shopkeeper in North Wales.
Christopher Steven Bell pulled out the terrifying weapon after staff confronted him and his then-partner Paris Davies over some stolen items, a court heard. Davies was spotted on camera passing 'several items' to Bell, who then left the shop without paying, North Wales Live reports.
The pair, who were staying at a nearby caravan park, became involved in a heated argument with the workers at the Premier store on Towyn Road in Towyn when questioned.
The footage showed a physical altercation between Bell, 32, and members of staff, as he was pushed out of the shop.
Bell could be seen attempting to pick up a box of beer but this was pushed out of his hands, causing the bottles inside to smash on the ground.
Within seconds, Bell lunged towards a male shop assistant and pulled out a large kitchen knife from the waistband of his trousers.
He could then be seen reaching down his right side before pulling out what was described in court as a '10-inch kitchen knife' and pointing it in the direction of the Towyn shopkeeper.
The court heard Bell threatened the man, saying 'I'll use this' while wielding the blade.
The chaotic footage, released by the Crown Prosecution Service, also showed Davies throwing a glass bottle which 'narrowly' missed the store manager's head.
Bell, of Marcliffe Drive in Manchester, appeared before Mold Crown Court on Monday (March 7) after admitting theft and making threats with a blade in a public place.
The charges date back to August 21, 2021.
Davies was handed a suspended sentence for her role in the incident in a separate hearing in Manchester.
However, Judge Niclas Parry said the same liberty could not be given to Bell and jailed him for 16 months for his 'disgraceful' actions.
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